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Part i.| THE INSECTS WHICH VISIT FLOWERS. 51 
In the exceedingly numerous species of Halictus and Andrena, 
the hairy covering of the hindlegs has so increased, and the 
development of tarsal brushes has become so perfect, that the 
practice of feeding the young on pollen collected by these hairs, 
which was only a secondary matter in Sphecodes, is here exclusively 
or mainly relied upon. The collecting hairs are spread over the 
whole hindleg from the tibia to the coxa (2, Fig. 13); even the 
last joint of the thorax sometimes bears two large tufts of hairs, 
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Fic. 13.—Halictus and Andrena. 
1.—Labium of Halictus quadricinetus, F, 2. mt, mentum; li, ligula (tongue); pa, paragloss ; 
pl, labial palp. 
2.—Right hindleg of the same bee. 
3.—Metathorax and right hindleg of Andrena pratensis, Nyl. 9 ; x right tuft of hair on meta- 
thorax. Lettering in 2 and 3 asin Fig. 10. 
4.—Single hairs from the body of an A. pratensis taken on a willow. Numerous pollen-grains 
adhere to their feathery branches. 
under which considerable masses of pollen can be lodged (3, Fig. 13). 
By a notable increase in breadth of the tarsi, the carrying-power 
of the tarsal brushes is increased. 
1 I have occasionally observed species of Andrena and Halictus feeding on pollen, 
and I have seen captive specimens disgorge drops of honey yellow with pollen grains. 
EB 2 
