598 INSECTA. 



of those substances. The larvae, owing to the position of their cells, have the head downwards ; and, when ready- 

 to become pupee, spin a cocoon for themselves. The males neither work [nor sting.] 



Some species (forming the genus Po/istes, Latr.), have the portion of the inner edge of the mandibles which is 

 beyond the angle shorter than that which precedes this angle, and the middle of the clypeus is pointed. Some of 

 these, as the Brazilian P. morio, have the abdomen formed as in Eumenes, whilst in others, as in the French 

 P.galtica, Linn., it is of an oval form. The former of these two species makes a large inclosed nest in the form 

 of a truncated cone, with a hole at the bottom, [fixed to the branches of trees] ; the second makes its nest, con- 

 sisting of about twenty or thirty cells, exposed and arranged like a bouquet, the outer cells being smallest. Others 

 have the abdomen ovoid, or conical, as in the South American V. nidulans, which suspends its nests to the boughs 

 of trees by a ring, the nests being of a conical form, with a convex bottom, having an opening in it. In proportion 

 to the extent of the community the nest is enlarged, by a fresh layer of cells being added to the under-side of the 

 old bottom. 



The other Wasps, forming the genus Vespa proper, have the upper portion of the inner edge of each mandible 

 as long as, or longer than, the posterior, which precedes it, and the middle of the front edge of the clypeus is 

 truncate, with a tooth on each side. Vespa crabro, the Hornet; V. vulgaris, the common Wasp, and other 

 species. 



THE FOURTH FAMILY OF THE ACULEATED HYMENOPTERA,— 



The Mellifera, or Anthophila, Latr. (the Bees), — 



Exhibits, in the peculiar circumstances of the two hind feet, that of collecting the pollen of flowers, an 

 unique character, which distinguishes it from all the other families of insects. The first joint of the 

 tarsi in these feet is very large, much compressed, in the form of a square plate, or of a reversed 

 triangle. The parasitic species are, however, destitute of this peculiar property ; but the form of their 

 feet is always essentially the same ; they are merely deprived of hairs, or pollen brushes. 



The maxillae [and lower lips] are generally very long, and form a kind of proboscis ; the lower lip 

 has often the form of a lance-head, or a long filament, the extremity of which is silken or hairy. Their 

 larva? feed exclusively on honey, and the fecundating farina of flowers ; the perfect insect, in like 

 manner, only subsists on honey. These Hvmenoptera embrace the genus Apis, Linn., which I divide 

 into two sections, \_Andrenet(E and Apiarice]. 



The first section, Andrenet^e, Latr., has the middle division of the lower lip in form of a heart, or 

 lance-head, shorter than its sheath and folded above in some, and nearly straight in others. It is 

 composed of the genus 



Andrena, Fab. (Proabeille, Reaumur; Melitta, Kirby]. 

 These insects live solitarily, and only possess two kinds of individuals, males and females. The man- 

 dibles are simple, or terminated by not more than two teeth ; the labial palpi resemble the maxillary, 

 which are always 6-jointed ; the lateral lobes of the labium are very short. The majority of the 

 females collect upon the hairs of the hind-feet the farina of flowers, and form it, with a little honey, 

 into a kind of paste, for the food of their larvae. Thay form in the earth, and often in beaten foot- 

 paths, deep burrows, in which they place this paste, with an egg, and then close the aperture 

 with earth. 



Some have the middle division of the lower lip heart-shaped, and folded in repose. 



Hylieus, Fab. (Prosopis, Jur.), has the body glabrous, the upper wings with only two complete submarginal 

 cells. They do not gather pollen, and appear to deposit their eggs in the nests of other Bees. [Several British 

 species.] 



Colletes, Latr., has the body villose, with three complete cubital cells ; these collect pollen. Type, A. succincta, 

 Latr. [a common British species]. 



The others have the labium in the form of a lance-head, and some of them have this part folded upon the 

 upper side of the sheath, as in 



Andrena, [having the hind feet not remarkably pilose, consisting of very numerous British species], and 



Dasypoda, the last of which has the hind tarsi clothed with very long hairs. The upper wings in both these 

 subgenera have only two submarginal cells. 



In the others, the labium is nearly straight, or slightly folded beneath at the tip ; the maxillae more elbowed, and 

 the cubital cells three in number, as in 



Sphecodes, having the male antennas nodose, and the middle labial lobe short ; 



Halictm, in which the females have a longitudinal slit at the apex of the abdomen ; and 



Nomia, Latr., in which the legs of the males are swollen or dilated. 



The second section of the Mellifera;, that of the Apiarice, comprises those species which have the 

 middle division of the lower lip at least as long as the mentum or tubular sheath, and like a filament. 



