BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 23/ 



following segments having yellow pubescence, the extreme apex 

 black. 



Variety /3. of the female is not frequently met with, and of 

 var. y. only two examples are known. Var. . of the male is a 

 very common form : possibly other varieties might be enume- 

 rated, but they will intervene between /3. and e. This is an 

 abundant insect in many situations ; in the London district it 

 is most numerous about Plumstead and Blackheath, being rather 

 scarce to the north of the Thames. 



It appears to be widely distributed ; examples have been re- 

 ceived from Wales and Perthshire ; it is probably parasitic upon 

 Bombus hortorum. 



3. Apathus Barbutellus, 



A. hirsutus, ater; thorace antice, scutelloque, fulvis; abdomine 

 subgloboso, ano albo. 



Apis Barbutella, Kirby, Mon. Ap. Anyl. ii. 343. 93. t. 18. f. 4 $ . 

 Psithyrus quadricolor, St. Farg. Hym. ii. 428. 2 <J . 

 Apathns Barbutellus, Smith, Zool. ii. 543. 3 ; Cat. Brit. Hym. 

 p. 99. 4. 



Female. Length 7-9 lines. The pubescence black ; the thorax 

 anteriorly, the margin of the vertex, and the posterior margin 

 of the scutellum have a fulvous-yellow pubescence ; the wings 

 fuscous, the nervures nigro-piceous. Abdomen subglobose, 

 very convex above, shining, the pubescence sparing on the three 

 basal segments, that on the basal one intermixed with yellow ; 

 the fourth and fifth segments with white pubescence. B.M. 



Var. j3. The scutellum and basal segment with black pubescence. 



Male. Length 6-7 lines. The pubescence black ; the posterior 

 margin of the vertex, the thorax anteriorly, and the margin of 

 the scutellum have yellow pubescence; the abdomen subglo- 

 bose, the two basal segments shining, the base with a thin yel- 

 low pubescence, that on the third, fourth, and lateral margins 

 of the fifth, yellowish-white ; that on the fifth and basal margin 

 of the sixth black, the apex fulvous. B.M. 



Var. j3. The pubescence on the scutellum entirely black. 



This species is very abundant ; it is parasitic upon B. pratorum. 

 Mr. Walcott bred a number from the nest of that bee, and during 

 the autumn of 1854 I myself obtained it from the nidus of the 

 same insect. I suspect a difficulty has arisen in the discrimina- 



