74 BEES AND WASPS [CH. 



As already stated, all the Apidae have long 

 tongues with sides parallel for a considerable dis- 

 tance and then gradually converging to a point, and 

 the basal joints of the labial palps form a sheathing 

 investment to the base of the tongue, the apical joints 

 only being cylindrical. The position of the pollen- 

 gathering apparatus varies greatly in the different 

 genera; in some, e.g. Apis, Bombns, Anthophora, 

 the hairs for this purpose are carried on some of the 

 joints of the legs ; while in others, e.g. Osmia, Mega- 

 chile, Chelostoma, Anthidium, the ventral surface of 

 the abdomen has a densely hairy coating, which is 

 often brightly coloured. 



A bee belonging to this group is probably known 

 by sight to most country -dwellers, though it is very 

 likely mistaken for a small and unusually active 

 humble-bee. We refer to Anthophora pilipes, which 

 is an invariable herald of the advent of spring, and 

 may be seen on any bright sunny morning in March 

 or April (I have seen one on the wing in January) 

 dashing from crocus to crocus flower, or hovering 

 over the early blooms of Arabis, Anbrietia and other 

 plants. The female is black and hairy with reddish- 

 yellow legs, and is about half an inch long : she dili- 

 gently visits the flowers in search of nectar and pollen. 

 The male is, when fresh, bright brown, but his colour 

 soon fades to greyish-brown: he has extraordinarily 

 long grey and black hairs projecting from the tarsal 



