BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 193 



Genus 12. CERATINA. 



Hylseus, pt., Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 302 (1793). 

 Apis, pt., Fabr. Ent. Syst. Supp. 273 (1796). 

 Megilla, pt., Fabr. Syst. Piez. 293 (1804). 

 Prosopis, pt., Fabr. Syst. Piez. 293 (1804). 

 Ceratina, Latr. Hist. Nat. xiv. 50 (1805). 



Head transverse, the ocelli placed in a triangle on the vertex ; 

 the labrura subquadrate ; the mandibles short and stout, triden- 

 tate at their apex. The labial palpi four -jointed, the two basal 

 joints elongate, the third and fourth minute, placed at the side 

 and near the apex of the second joint. The maxillary palpi six- 

 jointed, the three basal joints of about equal length, subclavate, 

 the apical joints minute. The superior wings with one marginal 

 and three submarginal cells ; the second submarginal cell re- 

 ceiving the first recurrent nervure a little beyond the middle, the 

 third submarginal receiving the second recurrent nervure also 

 beyond the middle. Abdomen clavate. 



All authors appear to have observed only three joints in the 

 labial palpi ; the number is certainly four. Latreille mistook 

 the number, and others have followed him in the error. 



Entomologists have been divided in their opinions respecting 

 the habits of this genus of Bees. Spinola states, in a memoir 

 published in the Annales du Museum d'Hist. Nat. 1807, on the 

 economy of Ceratina, that they excavate the pith from brambles 

 and briars, and supply their larva with a deposit of semi-fluid 

 honey : this is the correct history of their economy. Some 

 years ago I observed a small bee most industriously employed in 

 excavating a dead bramble-stick ; my attention was directed to 

 the circumstance from observing some of the fallen pieces of pith 

 on the ground immediately beneath ; occasionally fresh quantities 

 of dust were pushed out ; at length the little creature came out 

 of the stick as if to rest, and after sunning itself a few minutes, 

 it re-entered and again commenced its labours : later in the day, 

 after stopping up the entrance, I cut off the branch, and found 

 in it a male and female of Ceratina. 



St. Fargeau was led to regard the bees of this genus as para- 

 sitic, from the circumstance of their being destitute of polli- 

 nigerous appendages; such is also the case with the genera 

 Prosopis and Sphecodes ; these also were regarded by that author 

 as parasites. Observation alone can be relied upon when the 



