With the Wild Bees in Glcnctdlen. 63 



Nomadce. We can distinguish at least two species, 5. gibbus 

 and ^S*. dimidiatus? 



All the bees we have dealt with up to this belong to the 

 long-tongued group, in scientific parlance A7ithophila 

 aciitilingua. But there are a couple of the obtusilingual or 

 short-tongued division we shall pretty certainl}^ notice near 

 the Glendhu side of the valle}-. One of these, Piosopis con- 

 fusa, is a small black insect, somewhat like Halictus subfaseiatzcs, 

 but distinguished on closer inspection by its light yellow, 

 face and the yellowish bands upon its legs. The female 

 Prosopis constructs her tunnel in a bramble stem, lining it 

 throughout with a whitish secretion ; the male seems to be a 

 notably lazy insect, for he is usually found, even in the sun- 

 niest part of the da}^ coiled up asleep in the cup of some 

 flower. 



Our other short-tongued bees belong to the genus Colletes. 

 Two species occur at Glencullen, C.f adieus and C. Daviesana. 

 The latter is not uncommon, a small bee of compact shape, 

 thinly clothed with light brown hair. Several of its colonies, 

 with burrows crowded closely together, will be found in the cut 

 banks near the mountain end of the glen. The Colletidce con 

 struct a remarkably clean-cut tunnel, about five inches in 

 depth, terminating in a cluster of cells. These are finished 

 with peculiar care. In fact the more we examine their work 

 the more we shall marvel at their method, and the anicunt of 

 industry involved. Each cell is oval in shape, about the 

 size of a linnet's Q:gg, made of fine mortar, and lined with a 

 waxy enamel. When finished the}' are provisioned, as usual, 

 with pollen. To dig them out intact requires some care, but 

 we may accomplish it before the daylight fails us. 



We have now in our afternoon stroll taken a hasty glance 

 at a few of the wild bees that may be met with any summer's 

 day in Glencullen. There are certainly others we have not 

 noticed, needing fuller observations to record. But using our 



' I may mention, however, that Mr. Edward vSaunders (" Ilymenoptera- 

 Aculeata of the British Isles," p. 194), is incHned to adopt' the earlier 

 opinion as to the inquiline nature of S^/iecodcs. The facts that it is 

 always found in company with Halictus, the absence of any pollinigerous 

 organs, and its listless habit of flight, would vseem to support this view ; 

 but the question can hardly be considered settled. 



The researches and observations of vSmith, Shuckard, Bridgman, and 

 Sichel, and the analogy of the structure of Ceratlna SinCi Prosopis supply 

 the chief arguments against the quoted opinion of Mr. Saunders. 



