BOMBUS RUDERATUS 175 



there are a few yellow hairs on the extreme base of the 

 2nd segment. 



Intermediately coloured specimens are black, with the 

 tail greyish-brown. 



The beards on the mandibles are rust-coloured, though 

 often discoloured with nectar ; in hortorum they are black. 



The coat is shorter, somewhat stiffer, and much more even 

 than in hortorum : these combined differences are very 

 noticeable. 



Face long as in hortorum, but the eyes are slightly 

 larger and the cheeks slightly shorter, these being about 

 half as long as the eyes. 



Antennae long, as in hortorum ; length of flagellum 6^- mm. 



Armature like that of hortorum. 



This is a very common humble-bee in England, 

 but it is less abundant in Scotland, disappearing 

 completely in the north of Scotland ; and I know 

 of only one specimen from Ireland, a queen taken 

 by Mr. Freke at Borris, Co. Carlow. The nest 

 is under the ground, often with a long hole ; but 

 I have seldom found it, although the species is 

 usually plentiful at Ripple. The wax is dark 

 reddish brown, and is very soft and sticky ; the 

 sheets and cells made of it are thick. 



The division between B. ruderattis and Jwrtorum 

 is not very deep, and intermediate specimens, 

 especially of the male, are sometimes found. But 

 in the neighbourhood of Dover I have not yet 

 taken an intermediate queen, and in none of the 

 nests taken by me have the two species been mixed 

 The distinction between the two is maintained in 

 Central Europe, but it is not recognised by Perez 

 in the south of France. 



