his Useful Compendium ; Donovan, on the other hand, having 

 received specimens of Clems Apiarius from the North of 

 England, has given a figure of it in his British Insects, vol. vii. 

 p. 231. f. 1. 



Several specimens of this beautiful Genus having been taken 

 within the last fevi' years, amongst which are a fine female of 

 C. Apiarius captured at Dover, and transmitted to Mr. Stone, 

 and two of C. alvearius sent to Mr. Sparshall from Manches- 

 ter, one of which is figured in the plate, our right to record 

 it as a British Genus can no longer be questioned. As a 

 doubt existed in the mind of Fabricius, when he wrote his 

 Entomologia Systematica, whether our insect was any thing 

 more than a variety of C. Apiarius, I shall point out a few of 

 the most obvious characters which distinguish them, although 

 I fear it may be thought unnecessary, after Latreille and 

 Panzer without hesitation had published them as distinct spe- 

 cies. C. Alvearius is smaller (the figure in the plate is about 

 one fourth larger than the insect), more hairy, and less shining 

 than C. Apiarius : moreover the scutellum is surrounded by a 

 purple spot, the suture is of the same colour, and the spot 

 near the apex of the elytra is surrounded by red : these aie 

 characters sufficient to distinguish it from C. Apiarius : it is 

 also well known upon the continent that the larvae of that 

 species inhabit bee-hives, whereas those of C. Alvearius (we 

 are informed by Latreille) are attached to the nidus of Osmia 

 cor?iuta {Apis bicor7iis, Kirby). 



The larvae, it is most probable, prey upon the young brood 

 of the Bees; and the perfect Beetle is found upon different 

 flowers, at what time of the year is not ascertained. 



I am indebted to Professor Henslow for specimens of 

 Athamanta Libanotis (Mountain Spignel), gathered at Hinton 

 in Cambridgeshire. 



