252 HUMBLE-BEES. 



ing the comb. They were thus relieved from their 

 toil ; but it was only for a short period ; for the 

 wax getting soon dry, the pillars gave way ; and the 

 harassed insects were again subjected to the weary 

 task of propping up the tottering edifice by their 

 bodily exertions, when M. Huber took pity on them, 

 and glued the comb firmly to the table. 



LAPIDARY OR RED-TAILED BEE. 



(BOMBUS LAPIDARIUS.1 



PLATE XVI. Figs. 1, 2. 



Apis lapidaria, Linn. Donov. iii. 97, PI. 108, fig. 1, and xi. 



69, PI. 385, fig. 1. Kirby's Monog. Apum, ii. 364 



Orange- tailed Bee, Bingley, iii. 290. Ap. audens, Harris 

 Expos. 130, PI. 38, fig. 2; PI. 40, fig. 12; PI. 40, fig. 



15 Ap. arbustorum, Fab. A. strenuus, Harris'' Expos. 



xxxviii. fig. 5. 



THIS handsome species receives its specific name 

 from its habit of forming its nest among loose heaps 

 of stones ; occasionally, however, it burrows in the 

 earth like the species last described. The female 

 (fig. 2.) is of considerable size, having nearly the 

 whole body of a deep velvetty black clothed with 

 long soft hairs : mouth fringed with red hairs ; thorax 

 entirely black ; abdomen with the three last segments 

 red. The wings are shorter than the body, almost 

 clear and transparent, the apex a little obscured, and 

 the nervures black; legs deep black, the hairs of 

 the tarsi reddish. The male (fig. 1.) is of smaller 

 dimensions, having the thorax lemon-yellow behind, 

 black on the middle, and pale yellow in front ; the 

 forehead with a patch of lemon-yellow ; legs with 



