CLASS V. INSECTA. 281 



Dasypoda plumipcs. Panz., T^ach. MelitUi Swammerdamella. Kirbj/, 

 Inhabits Europe. It was first noticed by the iUustrious Swammer- 

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

 out their hole. * 



** Superior zoings with three suhmarginal cells, the second small. 



Genus 468. AXDRENA. Fah:, Panz., Jurine, Illig., Spinola, 

 Klug, Leach. Apis. Liym., Vill. Melitta. ** c. Kirii/. 

 'Maxilla bent at their cxtremit}', their terminal lobe scarcely longer 

 than broad : hinder feet with the first joint of their tarsi shorter than 

 the tibia;: lahinm or lip little elongate, shorter than its palpi. 

 Sp. 1. And. nigro-dcnea. 

 Melitta nigro-aniea. Kirb)/. 

 Inhcjbits 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 furni'-hed with a floccu- 

 lus at their base, the tibiie with a thick scopa or brush, and their 

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

 in a light soil, some choosing banks over which bushes are scattered, 

 others bare perpendicular sections, but all seem to jircfcr a southern 

 aspect. They excavate burrows ofacylindric ("orm, from five inches 

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

 mit the insect. In making these 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 

 l)aste with honey, and in this they deposit their eggs. The pollen 

 they carry in the scopa or brush of their hinder tibia-, upon the Hoc- 

 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. 



Geims 469. CILISSA. Leach. Melitta. Kirbtj. Andrena. Latr., 



Panz. 

 Musxilla: bent near their middle, the terminal process very much 

 longer than broad : lip elongate, longer than its palpi : superior wings 

 with three submarginal cells, the second small. 



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

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

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



8p. 1. Cil. (ricincta. 



