354 AMERICAN HYMENOPTERA. 



shire (Hanover and Durham) and Massachusetts (Amherst) 

 only. 



Habitat. — This species ranges through the greater part, at 

 least, of the Transition and Upper Austral Zones east of the 

 Rocky Mountains and runs over considerably into the Cana- 

 dian Zone and is also present among the eastern ranges of 

 the Rocky Mountains, at least in Wyoming, Montana and 

 Canada. I have records of it from all the New England and 

 Middle Atlantic states, from North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, 

 Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota (St. Paul 

 and Lake Itasca), Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, the 

 Dakotas, eastern Colorado, Wyoming and Montana (Mis- 

 soula, Big Fork, Ravalli County) in the United States and 

 from Quebec (Meach Lake), Ontario (Ottawa, Muskoka, 

 Nepigon, Rostrevor), the old Territory of Assiniboia (Re- 

 gina) and Alberta (Banff) in Canada. It is a common spe- 

 cies throughout the greater part of its range and, in some 

 localities, is the most abundant species of Bombus present. 

 What are its northern and southern limits in the eastern and 

 in the western parts of its habitat ? 



Nests. — I have taken but a single nest of this species. It 

 was made up of dry grass woven together and was on the 

 surface of the ground in an open field. It contained two 

 queens, eight workers and two males and was taken in the 

 day time of July 20, 1904. The workers of this nest were 

 the most vicious and ready to sting of any with which I have 

 had any experience. In the collection of the American Mu- 

 seum of Natural History is a nest of this species which was 

 taken by Mr. Wm. Beutenmiiller at Potato Knob in the Black 

 Mountains of North Carolina (elevation 6,420 feet) about 

 July 1, 1902. This nest was located in the hollow trunk of 

 a standing mountain ash and it contained two queens and 

 eight workers, but many bees escaped as it was taken in the 

 day time. This nest, like the one taken by me, was appar- 

 ently an adopted mouse nest, it being, as usual, of dried grass. 



This species is apparently rather closely related to B. bi- 

 maculatus, from which it can be separated by the greater 

 amount of yellow pile on the second dorsal abdominal seg- 

 ment and by the volsellse of the genitalia of the males dis- 



