40 i XK>M( ^LOGICAL NEWS. [March, 



the summer of 1889, I completed my observations, arriving at 

 the conclusion that Bombus amcricanornm Fab. is distinct from 

 />. fr-n>i.fv/i'anici(s I )e Geer, and that Afiathns? elatns is its male. 

 I give below the synonymy of the two species with my notes 

 upon them : 



Bombus pennsylvanicus. 



Apis pensylvanica DeGeer, Me'm. Ill, 575 (1773). 

 Bombus pensylvanicus Crzss., P. E. S. II, 94, 9 $ in part i 181 

 On Aug. 22, 1888, I took the sexes of this species in copula. 

 The female was hanging by one foot to a leaf of Gerardia pedicu- 

 laria. This female bore two yellow spots on the vertex; the 

 scutellum had a little yellow; the first segment of the abdomen 

 was entirely black. From the specimens at hand I would distin- 

 guish the female from that of/?, americanonan as follows: Vertex 

 always more or less yellow; scutellum more or less yellow; first 

 segment of abdomen black, or with a little yellow on the sides; 

 seen from above, the base of the labrum shows a transverse rid^e 

 more or less interrupted medially. The worker resembles the 

 female. 



Bombus americanorum. 



Apis americanomm Fab., Syst. Km. 380, (17751; Ent. Syst. II, 319 (1793). 



Boinluts americanorum Fab., Syst. Piez. 346, (1804); St. Far^. Hyin. I, 

 472 (1836). 



. -//>/\ da/a Fab., Ent. Syst. Suppl. 274, <$ (1798). 



lloinhns elatns Fall., Syst. 1'iez. 352, tf (1804). 



,\f>ath its elatns Cress., Proc. Fnt. Snc. II, 114, $ (1863). 



^\ fml hits.' clatii .v Cress., Cat. Described Hymeimp. X. A. ^ (iSS; . 



Apis nidii Unix Fab., Fnt. Syst. Suppl. 274, $ (1798); see Cress., Pn>c. 

 Ent. Soc. II, 165. 



/loin/ins until /a us l-'al)., Syst. Pie/. 349, ^ i [804). 



/'<ii/>iis paisy/ranii'its Cress., l'n>c. !".. S. II, 94, 9 $ in part , 1*63). 



In Proc. Knl. Soc. II, 164, Mr. Crimson says: "On the nth 

 of September, 1863, a nest ot Bombus pensylvanicus T)e Gteti 

 was captured near Gloucester, N. J. It contained 6 females, 34 

 workers and 21 specimens of .\pathits clatns Fab., all males. 

 No males oi /.'. pensylvanicus were lound in the nest." This 

 convinced me that a solution of the problem must be found in 

 the nests of .Z?. f>rn>isv/;-nn/fns. Accordingly, on Au^. 20, 

 I opened ;i nest of \\hat I had always taken as />'. fr-niisv 

 It c ontained I li-male and \2\ worker^, and J males <>f .//>,//// /c\.- > 

 claliis. On comparing this female and the \\nrkers with the fe- 

 male taken in copula \\ith B. pennsylvantCUS J) , 1 came to the 



