246 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. IX, 



In one instance, on September 2, the stem and flower con- 

 taining a sleeping bee were rudely jerked off, carried about a 

 quarter of a mile rather roughly and placed in a cage. The 

 next morning the bee was still asleep in exactly the same posi- 

 tion, evidently having not moved during the night. 



In all, ten bees were observed in the two remote localities. 

 In every case they chose the sunflower and they always spread 

 themselves flat so that their abdomens touched the florets. 

 By thus sleeping beside their work they were ready to resume 

 their tasks bright and early the next morning. I have seen 

 them at 5:45 on an August morning flying from flower to flower 

 already laden with yellow pollen. 



Melissodes obscura Say. [J. C. Crawford]. 

 Melissodes bimaculata Lep. [J. C. Crawford]. 

 Melissodes verroniana Robt. [J. C. Crawford.] 



On some dead dock plants standing amid green vegetation 

 on a hill-top were three little bees huddled close together around 

 the stem. All three were of different species, one M. obscura, 

 one M. verroniana, and the third escaped without identification. 

 On a similar plant, similarly situated a few feet distant, was 

 another group of three curled around the stem in the same 

 manner ; two were M. obscura and the third was a distinct black 

 bee, M. bimaculata. I should like much to know whether these 

 little bees of this genus are always so select of their company 

 and the nature of their sleeping place. 



Apis mellifica Linn. [J. C. Crawford]. 

 On June 9 the sun was getting high by 6 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing. I was walking along Watson Road, St. Louis, w^hen I 

 noticed two worker honey-bees still asleep on a cluster of elder- 

 berry flowers. One was picked up with the forceps; it was 

 sufficiently awake to move the legs. The second one moved 

 not at all, even when picked up. Closer inspection revealed a 

 white flower spider, Riincinia alcetoria Htz. [N. Banks] clinging 

 to the ventral surface of this bee, which was dead. Here this 

 little protectively colored spider had succeeded in capturing the 

 bee asleep. I think it could hardly have discerned the prey in 

 the dark, but that it probably saw the bee and captured it with 

 the first rays of dawn. Bees are supposed usually to spend the 

 night in the hive, but in all probability these were foraging when 

 darkness overtook them. They probably work both early and 



