SOME BRITISH WILD BEES. 215 



murderously inclined, during one heavy wind from the 

 south-west, I could have collected some hundreds off the 

 heads of that plant. The genus Halictus is readily dis- 

 tinguished by the long labrum, or upper lip, of the female, 

 and also by a curious vertical rlma on the last segment of 

 the abdomen. 



A very common spring bee in Clifton this year is Antho- 

 phora pilipes. Few insects differ so much in the appearance 

 of the sexes. The male is a yellowish-brown, with curious 

 long hairs on the forelegs ; the female a very black-bodied 

 bee, with the tibia or shank of its hind legs covered with 

 dark golden hairs. It is one of the burrowing bees, and is 

 often found in considerable numbers. Mr. Walcott, of this 

 city, captured a hermaphrodite specimen, and a second was 

 secured by Mr. P. Smith at Barnes, in April, 1836 ; it is 

 figured in his catalogue of British bees. 



I now touch upon one of the most ingenious workers in 

 this family Britain can boast of, the genus Osmia. It is not 

 uncommon in this locality, one member, 0. rufa, being rather 

 plentiful at Stapleton. In this abstract it is only possible 

 to instance one proof of its power of suiting its wants to 

 its circumstances. The usual habit of 0. rufa is to form a 

 burrow in cliffs or- decaying trees ; but should it come across 

 an empty snail-shell in a hidden situation, it, finding a 

 cavity ready made, promptly seizes the opportunity, and 

 forms its cells within it. 



An allied genus, Megachile^ is also found YQvy plentifully 

 in this locality, and is popularly known as the leaf-cutter bee, 

 from its habit of cutting out pieces from rose leaves or other 

 plants for the purpose of lining its cells. 



A very favourite plant this spring with the Andrenidce 

 and the hive bee is the wood spurge, Eupliorbia amygda- 

 loides. 



