THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 



of Fabiiciiis, but not of Linneus, which name is correctly 

 applied to the preceding species, which it closely resembles. 

 It seems to have been first described by Fourray ; and 

 Mr. Smith now combines it with his own S. pellucida, 

 described at p. 1014 of the 'Zoologist.' It is equally 

 abundant with Sphekodes gibba, frequenting composite 

 flowers in the autumn, particularly those of thistles and 

 ragwort. The thorax of S. gibba is wavy ; that of S. rufescens 

 finely punctured. 



3. S. suhquadrata. — This species seems of somewhat 

 doubtful distinction. I have a single specimen so-named by 

 Mr. Smith. I took ito ff the blossoms of the ragwort (Senecio 

 Jacobaea), in a gravel-pit on Blackheath, very near Vanburgh 

 House. Mr. Smith says he had the good fortune to discover 

 a colony of it; and, by watching it until the time when the 

 males usually appear, at length succeeded, in the month of 

 August, in capturing both sexes in the nest. The females 

 were readily distinguished by their subquadrate heads from 

 all the other species. The males are not so easily distin- 

 guished ; they most closely resemble those of S. gibba, but 

 their heads are not wider than the thorax, the antennae are 

 proportionately shorter, and the wings are not fuscous as in 

 that species. Fig. 5 represents a female. 



4. S. Ephippiata* — This little bee is extremely common 

 on composite flowers, particularly of ragwort, thistles, and 

 scabious. 1 have occasionally found it abundantly on the 

 field scabious (Scabiosa arvensis), or, in modern parlance, 

 Knautia arvensis, and less commonly on Scabiosa succisa. 

 It occurs also on Jasione montana on Blackheath, and on 

 Ageratimi Mexicanum in gardens. Mr. Smith has said nothing 

 of its favourite flowers, localities, or economy ; but, like 

 several previous authors, he raised the varieties into species, 

 and again united them, as in duty bound. Sex has also some 

 bearing on the aspect of the insect, and probably also on its 

 coloration. It is less and more slender than its congeners, 

 and has a good deal the appearance of a small tialictus. 

 Mr. Smith has a very excellent paragraph on this subject, 

 which is admirably appropriate, and will be found particularly 

 useful here, as I have no figure : — 



* Misprinted " Epliippia": the word proLaLly meimiug " epLipiiiatiis," or 

 saddled, in allusion to the red ou the abdomen having a fancied resemblance 

 to a saddle. 



