234 BRITISH BEES. 



male they have extra development by becoming thicker, 

 as in Mekcta ; and in Megachile the terminal joint of 

 their antennae is laterally dilated and compressed. In 

 scarcely any case are they geniculated at the scape in the 

 male, as they are in the female. The other genera with 

 clavate antennae have the same structure in both sexes, 

 as in Panurgus and Ceratina. Remarkable peculiarities 

 in the terminal ventral segment or segments of the male 

 may be found most conspicuously developed in Halictus, 

 Ccelioxys, Anthidium, Chelostoma, Heriades, Osmia, Apa- 

 thus, Bombus, and Apis. In Ctdioxys and Anthidium, and 

 some of the Osmice, this sex is further furnished with a 

 series of projecting spines, processes, or serrations at the 

 apex of the terminal dorsal segment. In Chelostoma, the 

 ventral structure of the male is very singular, the apex 

 being adapted to a mucro at the base which permits the 

 insect to curl up this portion of the body similarly to 

 its antennae, the furcated extremity of the abdomen 

 fitting, when thus folded, upon the mucro. It is as 

 well to draw observation to these peculiarities, which 

 give additional interest to the study of the group. 



The genus Eucera appears in May and June. In 

 some parts they are found in large colonies; although I 

 have seen them abundant I never found them in this 

 gregarious condition, and I have usually discovered 

 them frequenting loamy and sandy soils ; they burrow 

 a cell six or eight inches deep, form an oval chamber at 

 its extremity, which as well as the sides of the cylinder 

 leading to it they make extremely smooth, and by some 

 process prevent its absorbing the mixture of honey and 

 pollen which they store for the supply of the larva, and 

 each contains but one young one. These, having full 

 fed, lie in a dormant state throughout the winter and 



