162 THE HUMBLE-BEE vill 
4, BOMBUS SOROENSIS, Fabricius. 
Ilfracombe Humble-bee. 
QUEEN.—Small; length 15-17 mm., expanse 28-32 
mm. 
British specimens are coloured very like /ucorum, but 
they may be known by their much smaller size and by the 
shape of the yellow band on the 2nd segment of the abdomen, 
which is either interrupted in the middle or extends on to 
the sides of the lst segment. 
The following additional characters, though less notice- 
able, will help to confirm identification :— 
The colour of the hairs on the 6th segment and of 
those fringing the last three ventral segments is largely 
reddish-golden ; in ducorum there is little or no tendency 
to this colour. The white of the tail is inclined to be 
dingy, and is sometimes tinged at the base and sides with 
red. As in pratorum, the tint of the yellow band on the 
thorax is slightly deeper than that of the yellow band on 
the abdomen. The coat is shorter and more decumbent 
than in /ucorum, and somewhat shorter and more even 
than in pratorum; it is somewhat less dense on the 
middle of the 1st segment, and also on the middle of the 
2nd segment, at the base, than in /wcorum. The head and 
cheeks are slightly narrower in proportion to their length 
than in ducorum. Last ventral segment less compressed 
than in Zucorum. Inner side of auricle not hairy. 
In every British specimen I have examined there is a 
minute testaceous spot on the corbicula near the limen. 
WORKER.—Length 10-14 mm. 
Resembles the queen except in size. In most British 
specimens the tail is entirely white, but some have it 
tinged with red at the base. 
MALE.—Length 12-14 mm., expanse 25-28 mm. 
The colouring is rather like that of /acorwm or pratorum, 
but the face and top of the head are black with little 
