^00 APIDJI. 



pubescence on the legs being black, the abdomen exhibiting similar 

 varieties of pubescence. B.M. 



Var. /3. Length 4-5 J lines. — The general pubescence, except that on 

 the legs, fulvous ; on the abdomen it is sparing at the base, with a 

 tuft at the lateral angles, towards the apex it is more dense and of 

 a brighter fulvous. (A. franeillonella, Kirby.) B.M. 



Var. y. Length 4 lines. — The general pubescence inclining to hoary, 

 on the disk of the thorax it is more fulvous, worn and bleached, 

 with the edges of the wings ragged. (A. forsterella , Kirby.) B.M. 



Male. Length 5-6 lines. — Head, a little pale pubescence on the 

 face, that on the vertex mixed with black ; the antenna? as long as 

 the thorax, which has a fulvous pubescence above, varying in rich- 

 ness of colour. Abdomen, the pubescence pale, with three or four 

 dark bands more or less distinct. (A. sowerbiana, Kirby.) B.M. 



Var. (3. The abdomen with a little pale pubescence at the base, the 

 rest black. (A. curtisella, Kirby.) B.M. 



Var. y. The abdomen with a little pale pubescence at the extreme 

 base, that on the three following segments black, the rest fulvous. 



Var. B. The pubescence of the entire insect nearly black. 



This is probably the most variable species of all the British Bombi : 

 it is found in all parts of the kingdom, in Denmark and Germany, 

 as well as other parts of the continent. It occasionally occurs nearly 

 black in all the sexes. In England I have only seen workers of this 

 variety. I have considered six of Mr. Kirby 's species to be varieties 

 of B. muscorum, having repeatedly found them all in nests of this 

 species. That the insect here described is the true Apis muscorum 

 of Linnaeus, is proved beyond doubt by an examination of the type 

 specimen, which has the name attached to it in the handwriting of 

 Linnaeus ; it is in his cabinet, now in the possession of the Linnean 

 Society. 



The parasite Mutilla europcea was found in the nest of this 

 Bombus last summer, by Miss Madeline Pasley, at Shedfield Grange, 

 near Wickham, Hants ; several nests were examined and the Mutilla 

 was found in each. This is the first time I have heard of this parasite 

 being found in the nest of Bombus muscorum. 



2. Bombus agrorum. 



B. ater, hirsutus, thorace toto anoque ferrugineis. 



Bombus agrorum, Fabr. Syst. Piez. 348 $ . 



Dahlb. Bomb. Seand. 43. 



Drews. $ Schiodte, Krby. Tidsskr. ii. 108 S 2 £ • 



Nyland. Notts, ur Stilish, pro Faun, et Flo. Fenn. i. 228. 



Schenck, Nass. Bien. 147. 



Thorns. Hym. Scand. 6 $ • 

 Apis agrorum, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 321 §. 



Kirby, Mon. Apum Any I. ii. 326. 

 Bremus agrorum, Panz. Faun. Germ. 85. 20 $. 



