BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 69 



the antennae nearly as long as the thorax ; the mandibles forci- 

 pate, subdentate at their base. Thorax thinly clothed above 

 with rufo-fulvous pubescence ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, 

 faintly clouded at their apex, the nervures ferruginous, tegulse 

 rufo-piceous ; the tarsi ferruginous. Abdomen shining, ovate- 

 lanceolate, fulvous at the apex. B.M. 



This species appears to be rather local ; it is not uncommon 

 near London about the end of April and the beginning of May ; 

 it is plentiful at the upper end of Millfield lane, by the side 

 of Caen Wood. The colour of this species soon fades ; the pu- 

 bescence when first developed is a rich fulvous at the base of 

 the abdomen, which contrasts very pleasingly with the silvery 

 hue of the other parts. The male is the M. angulosa of Kirby, 

 which soon becomes entirely hoary by exposure. 



21. Andrena varians. 



A . atra ; thorace abdominiaque basi hirsuto-fulvis ; tibiarum 

 posticarum scopa versicolori. 



Apis varians, Rossi, Mant. no. 317. 



Panz.Faun. Germ. 56. 12. 



Melitta varians, Kirby, Mon. Ap. Angl. ii. 117. 58. 

 Andrena varians, Smith, Zool. v. 1741. 25. 



Nyland. Ap. Boreal, p. 253. 13. 



Female. Length 5~5 lines. Black; the pubescence on the 

 head black, that on the clypeus brown. The thorax above 

 clothed with rufo-fulvous pubescence ; beneath and on the 

 femora it is pale fulvous ; the wings subhyaline, their apical 

 margins slightly clouded, the nervures ferruginous ; the floccus 

 cinereous ; the scopa fuscous above, and of a silvery whiteness 

 beneath. Abdomen ovate, the pubescence at the base fulvous, 

 posteriorly it is black ; beneath, the segments margined with 

 white pubescence. B.M. 



Male. Length 4-5 lines. Head wider than the thorax, the 

 clypeus bearded with white pubescence, above it is pale fulvous ; 

 the mandibles forcipate, subdentate at their base ; antennas as 

 long as the thorax. Thorax thinly clothed with rufo-fulvous 

 pubescence. Abdomen ovate-lanceolate, having at its base a 

 patch of fulvous pubescence ; the apex fulvous. B.M. 



There are some doubts of this being a distinct species from 

 A. helvola ; if specimens be examined agreeing with the descrip- 

 tions, they will appear so undoubtedly, but on examining a series 

 of varieties they commingle so gradually, that it is difficult to 



