104 W. COEE ON A PARASITE OF HUMBLE BEES. 



that survive the winter ; they hybernate in stacks of wood, or dry 

 turf, and are the sole founders of new colonies in the spring. The 

 males and workers die long before the frosts of winter set in, and, 

 of course, any nematoids who had effected a lodgment in their 

 bodies, would perish likewise. Only those more fortunate ones, 

 who had gained an entrance into a female bee, would have the 

 least chance of existing through the winter, and so becoming full- 

 grown, and capable of perpetuating the species. 



I have thus given an imperfect resume of the known facts res- 

 pecting this anomalous creature, and I hope what I have said will at 

 least have this good effect, that some of our members may be induced 

 to make an effort towards clearing up the moot points in its history. 

 The season is now approaching when this may be attempted, as 

 regards one question, with some chance of success. The worms must 

 make their entrance into the bees during the autumn, and, of course, 

 if the two supposed sexes can be discovered in a bee before union 

 has taken place, Lubbock's theory will be at once established. It 

 is not to be disputed that the search would be very troublesome, 

 from the minuteness of the young parasites, and their resemblance 

 to some of the internal organs of the bee, as well as from the 

 scarcity of these insects at late seasons of the year, and consequent 

 difficulty of obtaining specimens for examination. In my own case, 

 living, as I do, near town, the latter hindrance will, I fear, prove a 

 very formidable one ; and I need hardly say how glad I shall be to 

 co-operate with anyone resident in the country, and familiar with 

 the haunts of the humble-bee, in an endeavour to effect a solution 

 of this puzzling biological problem. 



Explanation of Plate. VI. 



1. Sphcerularia Bomli, L.D., mature female, rendered transparent by the action 



of glycerine, so as to show the iuternal organs, viz., the "fat cells" 

 and ovary. A small nematoid worm, presumed to be the male, is seen 

 attached near one extremity. X about 7 diameters. 



2. Male, " head." \ 



3. do. "tail." I x about 260. 



4. " Head"of young SpJicerularia. I 



5. "Tail" of ditto. ' 



6. Male, X about 55. 



7. Young, X about 55. 



All the figures were drawn from specimens preserved in glycerine. 



