196 BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



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the length of the second and following joints, which are of about 

 equal length, the first joint slender at its base. The labial palpi 

 four-jointed, the two basal joints elongate, the first joint twice 

 the length of the second, the two apical joints minute, placed at 

 the side and near the apex of the second joint. The labium 

 one-third longer than the palpi ; the paraglossse setiform, elon- 

 gate and pubescent, nearly as long as the labium, pointed at 

 their apex. The maxillary palpi six-jointed, the basal joint very 

 thick as compared to the following joints, which are slender, 

 subclavate, and each a little shorter than the preceding from 

 the basal to the apical joint. The superior wings with one mar- 

 ginal and two submarginal cells, the second submarginal cell 

 receiving the first recurrent nervure a little within, and the. 

 second nervure near its apex ; the spines which arm the tibiae at 

 their apex, simple ; the claws bifid. The males have their an- 

 tennse as long as the entire body, filiform, the joints arcuate 

 and beautifully reticulated. 



Eucera longicornis is the only species of the genus found in 

 this country. Kirby has described four ; but the second, " lin- 

 guaria," is only a faded example of the male of longicornis ; 

 the third, " pollinaris," is a North American species, and the 

 fourth, Druriella,isa species of Tetralonia (Macrocera). Eucera 

 prefers a clayey soil for its burrows ; it forms an oval chamber 

 or cell at the end, the sides of which it renders perfectly smooth, 

 and capable of resisting the moisture of the semi-fluid mixture 

 of pollen and honey which it stores up for its young brood ; each 

 cell contains a single larva. Its development is precisely the same 

 as that of the genus Anthophora; it undergoes its changes in 

 the same manner ; it does not spin a cocoon, but passes the 

 winter in the larva state, changing about the end of April to the 

 pupa, and shortly after arriving at its perfect condition. The 

 pupa throw r s off a thin transparent shroud. The male on emer- 

 ging from its cell passes its long antennae through the notch at the 

 base of the first joint of the anterior tarsus, drawing the antennae 

 through, and thus readily divests those organs of the thin pellicle 

 in which they are enveloped : here we see another beautiful ex- 

 emplification of the truth that "nothing is made in vain." The 

 long antennae of the males of this genus are doubtless adapted 

 to some peculiar phase in their economy, and the remarkable 

 hexagonal reticulation of the joints also answers some purpose 

 connected with a peculiar sense, the exact function of which we 

 are unable to appreciate. 



