Genus 15. MELECTA, _Latreille_. (Plate XI. fig. 1 ♂ ♀.) APIS ** _a_, Kirby.
_Gen. Char._: HEAD transverse, scarcely so wide as the thorax; _ocelli_ in a triangle on the vertex; _antennæ_ filiform, rather robust, and but slightly geniculated, the scape not longer than the two following joints, the second joint of the flagellum the longest and clavate, the rest short, nearly equal, and the terminal one laterally compressed at its extremity; _face_ flat, very pubescent; _clypeus_ short transverse, lunulate, convex; _labrum_ irregularly gibbous, obovate; _mandibles_ strongly bidentate; _tongue_ long, slightly expanding towards the middle and thence tapering to the extremity, and with a central line; _paraglossæ_ scarcely half the length of the tongue, almost setiform, but robust at the base; _labial palpi_ more than half the length of the tongue, the two first joints membranous and very slender, the first longer than the rest united, the second about half the length of the first, and terminating acutely, the third not more than one-fourth the length of the second, and inserted laterally before its termination, the fourth about as long as the third, and, like it, subclavate, both being more robust than the second; _labium_ not half the length of the tongue, and acutely triangular at its inosculation; _maxillæ_ subhastate, not quite so long as the tongue; _maxillary palpi_ five-jointed, about one-third the length of the maxillæ, the basal joint clavate, short, and robust; the second elongate, subclavate, the remainder gradually but slightly diminishing in substance and length, the terminal not so long as the basal joint. THORAX very retuse, and its divisions scarcely distinguishable; _scutellum_ bidentate; _metathorax_ abruptly truncated; _wings_ with three closed submarginal cells, the second the smallest, irregularly triangular, and receiving the first recurrent nervure just beyond its centre, the third submarginal considerably larger than the second, sublunulate, but angulated externally and receiving the second recurrent nervure about its centre; the _legs_ robust and spinulose, especially the tibiæ externally (where they are very convex) and the femora beneath; the _claws_ short, strong and bifid. The ABDOMEN conical, truncated, and retuse at its base, the apical segment with a central triangular plate ridged laterally, and fimbriated at its sides with strong setæ.
