S MARRANT: 
After some preliminary remarks on the systematical position of the 
Ceratinae, their geographical distribution, occurrence etc., the chief mo- 
ments in the history of the question about their life and instincts are 
examined. In spite of the fact that the life of the Cerafinae has been 
observed many a time, literary data on this subject are short, contra- 
dictory, sometimes erroneous and, generally speaking, very incomplete. 
Spinola (1807) was the first who discovered the habits of Ce- 
ratina as of an independently nesting bee. A curious description of its 
habits has been given by him, a description, however, not free from grave 
mistakes. 
Dufour and Perris (1840) confirmed Spinola’s observations in 
many points, completing and somewhat correcting them. These authors 
discovered, moreover, the wintering of Ceratina-bees in communities inside 
the bramble-berry stalks. 
J. H. and A. В. Comstock (189, р. 669—670) showed that in 
the life-cyclus of the Ceratina a meeting of the young insects with 
their mother would occur. 
Records of other observers оп Ceratina (Packard, Verhoeff, 
Friese and others) °%) are mentioned by the author together with the 
description of his own investigations. 
The latter have been performed near the village Borisovka, Kursk 
government, Russia. 
Studying the Ceratinae in their natural conditions the author came 
to conclusion that their nests were so rarely occurring chiefly in conse- 
quence with the scarceness of suitable lodgements for them. 
Therefore, on meadows, wood-skirts and similar places some dry 
stalks of Verbascum, as well as of other plants possessing a tender heart- 
wood, were set out, with their tops previously cut off. The result was, that 
nearly all of them were peopled with Ceratina callosa. These stalks, 
including the Ceratina-nests, were carried in the evening into a garden, 
to facilitate their observation. ‚In the morning the Ceralinae were soon 
orientated in the new place and continued successfully their work. 
Ceratina callosa sets to work in the first weeks of May (old style), 
yet in separate cases the beginning of its work (gnawing out of a canal) 
may be observed till the middle of June. 
Ceratinae preier more on less upright standing stalks for their nests, 
which condition partly preserves them from the excess of humidity. The 
tunnel (fig. 1, р. 12) gnawed out by Ceratina is very long (till 84 cm.) 
and exceedingly wide. 
Thanks to this extraordinary width of the tunnel, Ceratina can easily 
turn up or down head inside the nest, without creeping out of it. 
") See the list of the literature cited, 
