186 AMERICAN HYMENOPTERA. 



Bombus Greene, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., VII, 1862, p. 168 (in 

 part). 

 " Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., Ill, 1863, p. 83. 

 " Thomson, Opusc. Ent., I, 1869, pp. 7 and 12. 

 " Schmiedeknecht, Apidse Europeae, 1882-1884, p. 263. 

 " Provancher, Faun. Ent. Can., II, 1883, pp. 728 and 733. 

 " Friese, Die Bienen Europas (Apidae Europaese), 1895-97. 

 " Ashmead, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, XXVI, 1899, p. 57. 

 " Robertson, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, XXIX, 1903, p. 176. 

 " Schmiedeknecht, Hym. Mitteleurop., 1907, p. 24. 



Type ofgemis. — Bombus terrestris (L.) , established by Latre- 

 ille when he described the genus. 



Common names. — Species of both Bombtis and Psithyrus are 

 commonly known as " Humble-bees " or " Bumble-bees " in 

 England. They are also sometimes called " Dumbledors " 

 in portions of that country. In the United States they are 

 everywhere known as " Bumble-bees." These names are 

 all somewhat similar, and were originally given to these in- 

 sects on account of the humming sound they make in flight. 

 The German name " Hummel" and the French " Bourdon " 

 have similar origins. 



Geographical Distribution. 



Species of Bombus are present on all the great land areas 

 of the globe, except Australia. Prof. W. W. Froggatt, Gov- 

 ernment Entomologist for New South Wales, after giving, in 

 a letter written in 1910, a brief account of the various intro- 

 ductions of B. terristris into that colony, states that all these 

 introductions appear to have been unsuccessful. He also 

 states that he does not "think there is a live bumble-bee in 

 Australia." 



In Africa these insects are confined entirely to the moun- 

 tainous region north of the Sahara Desert, there being three 

 or four species in Algeria and Morocco. The great deserts 

 stretching across this continent appear to form as effective 

 a barrier against the southward distribution of bumble-bees 

 as would the great oceans themselves. 



On the remaining continents, however, Bombi are widely 

 distributed and appear to be present everywhere, except 



