CLASS V. INSrXTA. 281 



Dasypoda pluiiiijJCri. Fiuiz., Leach. IMelilta Swammerdamella. Kirhy. 



Inhabits liurope. It was first noticed by the illustrious Swammer- 

 dam. They burrow in sandy soil, throwing up a heap of sand with- 

 out their hole. 



** Superio?' wings zcitli three subniarginul cells, the second small. 



Genus 468. AXDllENA. Fubr., Fanz., Jurine, Illig., Spinola, 

 Klug, Leach. Apis. Linn., Vill. Melitta. ** c. Kirbij. 

 Maxilhe bent at their extremity, tiieir terminal lobe scarcely longer 

 than broad : hindo-Jht with the first Joint ot" their tarsi shorter than 

 the tibiie : labium or lip little elongate, shorter than its palpi. 

 Sp. 1. And. nigro-iEiieu. 

 Melitta nigro-amea. Kirbij. 

 Inhabits the blossoms of sallows in the spring. 



Obs. — The species of this genus are extremely numerous, and a very 

 large portion of them inhabit Britain. Their proboscis is downy 

 and thick. The hinder legs of the male are furnished with a floccu- 

 his at their base, the tibia' with a thick scopa or brush, and their 

 anus is covered by a fringe of hairs. They nidificate under ground 

 in a light soil, some choosing banks over which l)ushcs are scattered, 

 others Ijare j)crpendicular sections, but all seem to prefer a southern 

 aspect. They excavate biuTows of acylindric form, from five inches 

 to nearly a foot or more in depth, of such diameter only as to ad- 

 mit the insect. In nraking lliesc holes they remove the earth grain 

 by grain, which they throw up on the outside of their holes in the 

 form of a hillock. Some species penetrate in a horizontal, and 

 others in a perpendicular direction. They construct a cell at the 

 bottom of this hole, which they replenish with pollen made into a 

 paste with honey, and in tins they deposit their eggs. The pollen 

 they carry in the scopa or brush ol' their hinder til>ice, upon the fioc- 

 culus at the base of the hinder thighs, and on the hairs of the me- 

 tathorax. When the female has committed her egg to the paste, 

 she very carefully stops the mouth of her hole, to prevent the in- 

 gress of ants, or of other insects which might be enemies to the 

 larva. 



Genus 469. CILLSSA. Leach. Melitta. Kii-by. Andrena. Lair., 



Fanz. 

 Maxilhe bent near their middle, the terminal process very much 

 longer than broad: ///j elongate, longer than its palpi: superior xcings 

 with three submarginal cells, the second small. 



Obs.— This genus is not only distinguished from Andrena by the cha- 

 racters of the lip and maxilke, but also by having a longer tongue 

 vAth. very minute auricles, and the tops of the valves cultriform. 



Sp. 1. Cil. triciucta. 



