ENTOMOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTION H— HACKER. Ill 



mostly belonging to Pronopis ; but tho above insect is always the fii'st to come out 

 in numbers. They invariably appear during the tirst week in August, visiting 

 tlowers of Hovea longifolia and Davicsia ulicina. Most oE the males were taken 

 on the former plant, while all the females were taken on the latter. 



Mcgachile rhodogastra, Ckll. — There is a native tree, Mallotus Philip- 

 pine nsis, in my garden which was so frequented by large numbers of M. rliodo- 

 gasfra that some of the branches presented quite a ragged appearance, many 

 leaves having portions cut away. Last season I planted a number of rose-bushe.s 

 about fifty feet from the Mallotus. Since that time the bees have discarded the 

 native tree, and obtain all their nesting material from the rose-bushes. There 

 were no rose-bushes in the vicinity previous to ray planting. From these facts it 

 would appear that M. rJwdogastra prefers rose-leaves for nest-building; but, in 

 their absence, will utilise other kinds of leaves possessing a somewhat similar 

 texture. 



Euryglossa luematura, Ckll. — This species was found on the 16th December 

 nesting in the perpendicular bank of a creek. The exit-holes were about a quarter 

 of an inch in diameter, and were scattered in patches along the bank, one patch 

 consisting of over fifty holes. On digging away part of the bank the tunnels were 

 seen to extend for five or six inches. They were not straight, but bent and twisted 

 in all directions. At the extreme end of each tunnel was a cell lined with a very 

 thin and delicate mendjrane. A number of these cells wore dug out, and all con- 

 tained larva^ of difl:erent sizes, from newly hatched to nearly full-grown. The 

 cells which contained the smaller larvaj were full of a thin semi-liquid substance 

 the colour of gamboge. The bees ^ re busy entering and leaving their cells; they 

 do not hesitate at the entrance of iheir holes like some species of Ilalichis, but 

 enter the instant they reach it. The bank was full of medium-sized pebbles, and it 

 may be possible that the tunnels were twisted and turned to avoid the stones; 

 but I cannot be certain of this, as I have not seen nests elsewhere. 



