162 THE HUMBLE-BEE vm 



4. BOMBUS SOROENSIS, Fabricius. 

 Ufracombe Humble-bee. 



Queen. Small; lengtb 15-17 mm., expanse 28-32 

 mm. 



British specimens are coloured very like lucorum, but 

 they may be known by their much smaller size and by the 

 shape of the yellow band on the 2nd segment of the abdomen, 

 which is either interrupted in the middle or extends on to 

 the sides of the 1st segment. 



The following additional characters, though less notice- 

 able, will help to confirm identification : 



The colour of the hairs on the 6th segment and of 

 those fringing the last three ventral segments is largely 

 reddish-golden ; in lucorum there is little or no tendency 

 to this colour. The white of the tail is inclined to be 

 dingy, and is sometimes tinged at the base and sides with 

 red. As in pratorum, the tint of the yellow band on the 

 thorax is slightly deeper than that of the yellow band on 

 the abdomen. The coat is shorter and more decumbent 

 than in lucorum, and somewhat shorter and more even 

 than in pratorum ; it is somewhat less dense on the 

 middle of the 1st segment, and also on the middle of the 

 2nd segment, at the base, than in lucorum. The head and 

 cheeks are slightly narrower in proportion to their length 

 than in lucorum. Last ventral segment less compressed 

 than in lucorum. Inner side of auricle not hairy. 



In every British specimen I have examined there is a 

 minute testaceous spot on the corbicula near the limen. 



Worker. Length 10-14 mm. 



Resembles the queen except in size. In most British 

 specimens the tail is entirely white, but some have it 

 tinged with red at the base. 



Male. Length 12-14 mm., expanse 25-28 mm. 

 The colouring is rather like that of lucorum or pratorum, 

 but the face and top of the head are black with little 



