224 INSECTS. 



in the territories of their neighbours, whether Solitary or 

 Social; each parasitic species being, however, limited in 

 its choice of the species with which to take up its abode. 



From this slight sketch it will be seen that, making 

 allowance for the difference occasioned by variety of 

 food, great resemblance exists in the economy of all the 

 tribes of Aculeate Hymenoptera. Like the Solitary 

 Wasps and Sand-wasps, the Solitary Bees cradle their 

 young in nests or tunnels, placing with them a store of 

 proper food. Like the Social Wasps and Ants, the 

 Social Bees live in communities, and, by the help of 

 neuter or imperfect individuals, provide for their young 

 with a continuous and tender care. Like the Parasitic 

 Wasps and Ants, the Parasitic Bees find shelter for their 

 young in homes for which they have not worked ; and 

 though in the one case this is death to the rightful 

 inhabitant, who falls a prey to his rapacious guest, and 

 in the other guest and host often live together in perfect 

 harmony, yet there is enough resemblance to mark the 

 chain of relationship which binds these tribes together.* 



The scientific division of Bees, based on their struc- 

 ture, depends chiefly on peculiarities in the tongue, legs, 

 and wings. 



In the first family, Andrenidse, the tongue is short (as 

 compared with the mentum, or chin) and flat (fig. 58, 1). 

 It is broad, obtuse, and bi-lobed or notched (somewhat 

 like that of the Wasp, but without glands at the tip) in 

 the two first genera ; in the six remaining genera it is 

 pointed, and triangular or more or less lanceolate. 



* In the following pages, the reader must be careful to distinguish be- 

 tween the social Bees, i.e. those living in communities formed of 9, $, 

 and <J, and the gregarious or colonizing solitary Bees, of which many pairs 

 burrow near each other. 



