BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 141 



variation in colouring ; it appears early in spring, and is some- 

 times taken the first week in April, and usually throughout May, 

 but if the weather is mild it may be found occasionally towards 

 the end of March. I have twice met with this species in autumn, 

 one specimen at Shirley, September 15th, 1848, another Sep- 

 tember 10th, 1853 : these are, of course, deviations from the 

 usual habit of the species : the extreme beauty of the weather, 

 like a second spring, having tempted them from their hiberna- 

 cula. 



23. Nomada sexfasciata. 



IV. atra; scutelli punctis duobus, abdominis segmentis tribus 

 basalibus flavo-maculatis, segmentis alteris flavo-fasciatis. 

 Mas, pedibus flavis. 



Nomada sexfasciata, Panz. Faun. Germ. 62. 18 $ . 



SeMff. Germ. Zeits. i. 285. 24. 



St. Farg. Hym. ii. 471. 7. 



Lucas, Explor. Sc. Alger. iii. 218. 155. 



Smith, Zool. ii. 593. 6 <J ? . 



Apis Scha3fferella, Kirby, Mon. Ap. AngL ii. 199. 18 ? . 

 Apis connexa, Kirby, Mon. Ap. Angl. ii. 199. 19 <J . 



Female. Length 6 lines. Black ; the anterior angles of the 

 face, the margin of the clypeus, the labrum and mandibles, 

 yellow ; the two latter more or less ferruginous ; the antennae 

 ferruginous, the scape more or less black behind. Thorax : 

 the tubercles, tegulae, and two spots on the scutellum, yellow ; 

 the disk slightly and the metathorax more densely covered 

 with pale fulvous pubescence ; wings subhyaline, the apical 

 margins having a fuscous cloud, the nervures ferruginous ; the 

 legs ferruginous, the tibiae yellowish towards their base, the 

 coxae and trochanters black. Abdomen : the three basal seg- 

 ments having on each side a yellow spot, those on the second 

 and third segments pointed within ; the fourth and fifth have in- 

 terrupted fasciae ; beneath, the third and fourth segments have 

 a transverse yellow dash. B.M. 



Male. Length 6 lines. Closely resembling the other sex, but 

 having those parts of the mouth yellow which are ferruginous 

 in the female; the scape yellow in front, black behind, and 

 five or six of the basal joints of the flagellum black above. 

 Thorax : thinly clothed above with hoary pubescence, be- 

 neath more densely so, the legs yellow, and having in parts faint 

 ferruginous stains ; the femora beneath more or less black, the 

 posterior pair black within. Abdomen variegated with yellow 



