ri 



302 Mr. G. 1^ Bodkin's Notes on 



easy to capture, but when alarmed assumes a rapid flight. 

 Frequently observed flying about and alighting upon the 

 bark of certain trees, though on closely inspecting the bark 

 no feature which miglit attract the bee could be observed. 



E. cordala, F. The connnonest Euglossa in British 

 Guiana. Observed in all areas visited. It will construct 

 its somewhat sticky nest in all sorts of curious places, 

 such as the inside of a disused reel of cotton, interior of 

 empty cartridge case, eye-piece of polariscope, keyholes, 

 small cavities in timber, etc. It also takes over the 

 disused cells of Sceliphron fisiidare, Dahlb. In the forest 

 areas I have observed this bee to construct its nest on the 

 under surface of a leaf. The nest varies in the number 

 of its cells, some only containing two or three, others as 

 many as six. The cells are roughly about 1 cm. in length 

 and about 5 mm. in breadth, with the ends neatly rounded. 

 Each cell is stored with a viscid mixture of honey and 

 pollen, on which the larva feeds. The walls of the cells 

 are thin and soft, being constructed of some dark vegetable 

 substance. The whole exterior is sticky. This insect has 

 an extremely rapid, darting flight, and is particularly fond 

 of the white, sweet-smelling flowers of a certain species of 

 prickly wild Solanaceous plant. AVhile the bee is within 

 the white ))lossoms it emits an exceedingly shrill buzzing 

 sound, which is often difficult to locate. 



E. surinamensis, L. Another very common species of 

 Euglossa throughout British Guiana. It is greatly attracted 

 to the flowers of the same Solanaceous plant as attracts 

 E. cordala, L. Its loud buzzing and somewhat slow flight 

 makes its presence conspicuous. The nest is constructed 

 sometimes in artificial holes in timber, in cavities in the 

 trunks of trees, and at times on the top of roof-beams. 

 The substance of the nest is thin flakes of bark, or some- 

 times flakes of white plaster from houses, exceedingly 

 strongly cemented together. Several cells are usually 

 formed united in an irregular mass. Each cell is stored 

 up with a quantity of honey and pollen of moderately 

 hard consistency. The cells are about 1'5 cm. in length, 

 vnih a diameter of about 1 cm., ovoid in shape, with a 

 perfectly smooth lining. 



E. nigrita, Lep. Not a particularly common species. 

 So far only observed on the coast lands. On one occasion 

 the bees were observed to be nesting within a hollow beam 

 in the larae dininf«-hall of one of the largest hotels in 



