1922.1 



27 



nest. This fact, therefore, scarcely supports Sladeii's conclusion ("The 

 Humble-bee," p. 172) that it is a late appearing humble-bee even after 

 making allowances for the exceptionally hot and long summer of 1921. 



The type-specimen of Bomhus cullumanus was taken by Kirby at 

 Witnesham in Suffolk, and Sladen mentions that four more examples 

 were taken at Southend b}^ Smith. The latter authority also recorded 

 examples from the Brighton Downs and from Bristol. These captures 

 were all made over forty years ago, and the only record of recent years 

 is a somewhat faded male taken by Sladen on September Sth, 1911, at 

 Ripple, Kent. It is interesting to note that the latter specimen was also 

 taken on a head of Centaurea nigra by the roadside. Sladen mentions 

 that the male only has so far been found in Britain. Perkins, in his 

 notes on the Smith Collection of Hymeno])tera in the Biitish Museum 

 (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1917, p. 161), states that there is a short series of males 

 of B. cnUumanus among the specimens, and also two supposed females, 

 Avhich ajtpear to have been accepted by Saunders as belonging to the 

 males. Perkins further adds that he was unable to see any structural 

 characters to separate them from females of Bomhus prat or um. 

 According to Saunders (British Aculeate Hymenoptera) the face is 

 broader, especially across the mandibles, and the abdominal black band 

 is confinpcl to the 3rd segment in B. cullumanus. In B. fratorum the 

 face is naiTower, and the black band is not confined to the 3rd abdominal 

 segment. It is evident, therefore, that the two species are very alike 

 m so far as the female is concerned, but it is very uncertain whether 

 any examples of that sex have ever been taken in Britain. The male of 

 cullumanus might be mistaken for either tiiat of pratorum or possibly 

 derliumellus, but the genitalia are very distinct and are well figured by 

 Sladen (plate VI) and also by Handlirsch ("Hummelstudien," Ann. 

 k.-k. Hofmus. vi, 1891). These same organs also serve to distinguish 

 j;he male cullumanus fi'om the same sex of lapidarius and of the variety 

 proteus of soroensis. Saunders mentions that he regarded it as a 

 variety of the latter species until the genitalia were subsequently 

 examined. Any further distinguishing characters need not be detailed 

 here as both Sladen's and Saunders's works are accessible to most entomo- 

 logists. Bomhus cullumanus does not appear to be a common insect on 

 the Continent ; according to Dalla Torre its range is northern and 

 central Europe. 



Eotbanisted Experimental Station, 

 Ilarpeuden, Herts. 



December 9tli, 19J1. 



1)2 



