210 BRITISH HYMENOPTERA. 



summers, and the more I become acquainted with them the more I admire 

 their sagacity and instinct; although at present I am not in a position to 

 record an equal number of the wild bees to that by the late Eev. Mr. Kirby, 

 within a given locality. It is related in his "Life," page 195, that, "the total 

 number of Melittce described is one hundred and eleven; of these eighty-three 

 were taken in Barham. Of the genus Apis one hundred and twelve; of these 

 seventy-one were found in Barham ; — thus making a total of one hundred and 

 fifty-three distinct species of wild bees found in a parish containing one thou- 

 sand five hundred and seventy-three acres of land." Our Downs are particu- 

 larly favourable for the JBombi, and we possess more than two-thirds of the 

 indigenous species, and all the Apathi. In conclusion I would remark that I 

 have taken both Mr. Kirby's "Monographia Apum Anglise," and Mr. Smith's 

 "Monograph of the Bees of Great Britain,"* as my text books, this latter 

 more particularly, and whom I have followed in my arrangement; it is a work 

 which cannot be too highly commended, and ought to be in the hands of 

 every student. I would also hope to see this list followed by similar ones 

 from other localities, and also to know that the study of this beautiful and 

 truly intelligent tribe of the insect world is daily increasing, particularly among 

 the rising generation of entomologists. 



VESPIDiE.— Westwood. 



Vespa crabo. — Rarely and locally met with, more frequently in houses than 

 elsewhere in August and September. 



V. vulgaris. — Very abundant some years, generally distributed; the females, 

 it is well known, appear in early spring, and the gardeners in this neighbour- 

 hood usually offer a good reward for every individual which may be destroyed. 



V. rufa. — I have never found but the female of this species, and that but 

 rarely; and I believe it does not appear to be so common generally as V. 

 vulgaris, and its societies are less. 



V. sylvestris. — More common than the last species; the nest is a very beau- 

 tiful object when constructed in a fir tree. 



MELLIFERA.— Late. FAMILY I.— Andrenid^.— Leach. 

 Sub-family I. — Obtusilingtjes. — "Westwood. 



Colletes succincta. — Bare; found near Brighton in July. 



Prosopis annularis. — Bare; near Hove, on the coast, on the flowers of 



Sinapis arvensis in June. 



{To be continued?) 



EXTRACTS FROM 

 SMITH'S CATALOGUE OF BRITISH HYMENOPTERA. 



In order to give our readers a greater interest in British Bees, we shall occasionally extract 

 from Mr. Smith's admirable little work, "Catalogue of British Hymenoptera," some of his 

 remarks upon the habits of the principal genera. We hope this will induce them to purchase 

 this model of a monograph. 



* Catalogue of the Bees of Great Britain, in the Collection of the British Museum. By 

 Frederick Smith, M.E.S. Price 6s. 



