140 BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



the base. The name te cornuta" which Mr. Kirby gave to this 

 species, was not a happy one, since that characteristic is common 

 to several of the species. This bee is usually found from the 

 middle of April to the end of May, but it is not one of the early 

 species ; some years it is not found before the middle of May. 



22. Nomada alternata. 



N. atra ; antennis tegulisque ferrugineis ; scutelli punctis, ab- 

 dominisque fasciis flavis, tribus anticis interruptis. 



Apis alternata, Kirby, Mon. Ap. Angl. ii. 185. 5 $ . 

 Apis Marshamella, Kirby, Mon. Ap. Angl. ii. 188. 10 $ . 

 Nomada Marshamella, Schaff. Germ. Zeits. i. 285. 25. 

 Smith, Zool. ii. 590. 3. 



Female. Length 4-5 lines. Black ; the anterior margin of the 

 clypeus, the labrum, mandibles and antennae, ferruginous. 

 Thorax : the collar on each side, the tubercles, and two spots 

 on the scutellum, yellow ; the tegulae and legs ferruginous ; the 

 coxae and femora towards their base, and the posterior femora 

 within, black ; the wings subhyaline, their apical margins 

 clouded, the nervures ferruginous. Abdomen : two spots on 

 the basal segment, an interrupted fascia on the two following, 

 on the fourth an entire fascia, and on the fifth a large quadrate 

 spot, yellow ; there is usually a minute spot on each side of the 

 quadrate one ; beneath, the third and fourth segments have 

 usually a yellow fascia and the second sometimes two minute 

 dots. B.M. 



Var. #. The basal segment of the abdomen immaculate, and the 

 spots on the scutellum reddish-yellow. 



Male. Length 3^-5 lines. This sex very closely resembles the 

 female, but has the scape in front, the anterior margin of the 

 clypeus, the labrum and mandibles, yellow ; the face has also 

 a silvery-white pubescence ; the tubercles and two minute spots 

 on the clypeus, yellow; the tegulae ferruginous, sometimes 

 dashed with yellow ; the wings and legs as in the other sex ; 

 the fasciae on the abdomen are broader, the three first subinter- 

 rupted ; beneath, the second and three following segments 

 have broad yellow fasciae, the first usually interrupted, the 

 apical segment yellow. B.M. 



Var. /3. The basal segment of the abdomen immaculate. 



Var. y. The spot on the scutellum obsolete (alternata, Kirby). 



This is one of the most abundant species of the genus ; it is 

 found in all parts of Great Britain, and is not subject to great 



