306 APIS. (**. d. 2. a.) 



ment seems to be to attend upon her; but wheil 

 the halcyon days of love are over, like many other 

 husbands, he goes about his business, and leaves 

 her to take her flights in solitude. I was often 

 entertained with this scene, before I was aware of 

 any connection between these little creatures ; but 

 at length 1 could not help suspecting, in spite of 

 the total want of resemblance between them, that 

 they were different sexes of the same species : to 

 ascertain this point, I examined anatomically a 

 number of each ; and found that tlie black ones 

 were always aculeates, and the others as constantly 

 males. I found both afterwards in the same nest^ 

 which has likewise been done, more than once, by 

 my friends the Rev. Peter Lathbury, and Mr. 

 James Trimmer. These circumstances furnish as 

 strong presumptive evidence, in support of the fact 

 I assert, short of seeing the sexes copula connexos, 

 as can be desired. Ray, indeed, makes an obser- 

 vation with respect to the male, which seems, at 

 first sight, to militate very strongly against the 

 opinion here advanced : after describing it in terms 

 which leave no doubt as to its being the same in- 

 sect, he says : " In muris et aggeribus terrenis ni- 

 dum pro faetu constituit prioris nido (viz. A. syl- 

 vestris muraria nigra) similem, in quern substantiam 

 quandam dulcem melle crassiorem ei nutriendo re- 

 condit (/)." This, however, is easily accounted for; 

 he would certainly never dream of any connection 



(i) P. 243. 



between 



