80 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



" An interesting feature in the history of the Bomhi is the varied 

 temperament of the different species, and the degrees of pugnacity 

 with which some species will resent any attempt to invade their 

 domiciles. Nests of the surface-builders may be taken almost with 

 impunity, whilst such an outrage on the under-ground ones would be 

 a dangerous undertaking. No species is more courageous than 

 B. lapidarius, and B. virginalis is equally formidable. This relates 

 to such attempts being made in the height of the season ; later, in 

 the autumn, the bees lose their courage, and offer little, if any, 

 resistance to attack on their habitations." — P. 198. 



Limited space alone bids us curtail our extracts. How- 

 ever, the above are some of the natural -history touches, 

 which are mixed up with dryer descriptive portions of this 

 work. So abundantly are these observations interspersed, 

 that there is scarcely one of the genera or species with 

 regard to which the author has not some valuable notes to 

 give, derived from personal observation. 



The new edition of Mr. Smith's 'British Bees' bears 

 evidence of careful revision ; much that is new has been 

 added, and some corrections appear. It is now 8vo in size, 

 wliile formerly it was 12mo. The ten plates have all been 

 revised, some of the figures re-drawn, others touched up, and 

 one error corrected, viz. pi. vi., fig. 5, in first edition, was 

 really the tongue of Sphecodes gihhiis in miniature ; now it is 

 re-drawn and corrected, representing that of Prosopis signata. 

 These plates are very beautifully and correctly drawn, the 

 whole being the work of the author, who is both artist and 

 engraver in this case. The synonymy is brought up to the 

 present time; much revision has been done in it; its 

 arrangement is better, being in chronological order. One of 

 the most important new features is that the geographical 

 distribution and number, or approximate number, of known 

 species in each genus is given. Ten new British species 

 have been added in this volume, whilst two formerly believed 

 to have been British have been omitted : this leaves the 

 number of bees enumerated as members of the British fauna 

 at two hundred and eleven. It is our duty to point out one 

 or two inaccuracies in botanical nomenclature. 



We need only add that to the student of the Aculeate Hyme- 

 ftoplera this book is invaluable; yet it is so plainly written 

 that the beginner may readily identify his species, and learn 

 how, when, and where, to take the " British Bees." — J. T. C. 



Il 



