VIII 



BO MB US SOROENSIS 



16 



or no trace of yellow. Thorax black, with a yellow 

 band in front. Abdomen black, with the 1st and 2nd 

 segments yellow, but usually some black at the base of 

 the ist segment, and with the tail colour, which commences 

 on the 4th segment, sometimes entirely white, but often 

 white with red at the base, or red grading into white at the 

 tip. 



The hind metatarsi are slender and taper gradually towards 

 the base, where they are very slender. By this character the 

 male of soroensis may 

 be easily known, the /%p5 

 metatarsi being approxi- 

 mately parallel-sided up 

 to within a short dis- 

 tance of the base in all 

 the other species ex- 

 cept terrestris, lucorum, 

 and cullumanus : in these 

 three the metatarsi are 

 wider, and are fringed 

 with shorter hairs than 

 in soroensis. 



Antennae with the 

 3rd joint shorter than the 4th ; in terrestris and lucorum 

 the 3rd joint is longer than the 4th. Length of flagellum 

 5^ mm., thus slightly longer than in terrestris, lucorum, 

 and pratorum. 



Armature distinct. 



In Britain B. soroensis is local and often rare. 

 The workers were taken abundantly at Ilfracombe 

 on bramble blossom bv the late Edward Saunders. 

 The queens have been found in considerable num- 

 bers by Mr. E. B. Nevinson at Abersoch, on the 

 south coast of Carnarvonshire, at the flowers of the 

 raspberry in the beginning of June. Mr. Nevinson 

 has also taken it at Criccieth, Bude, and in 



Fig. 26. Hind metatarsus of (a) terrestris and 

 lucorum, male ; [b) soroensis, male ; (<:) 

 pratorum, male. 



