258 FALSE HUMBLE-BEES. 



humble bees (^ch as the genera Coelioxys, Melecta, 

 Epeolus, &c.) which are therefore called Cuckoo-bees. 

 The Apathi may be appropriately designated by the 

 name of False Humble-bees. A. Campestris, A. Bar- 

 butellus, A. Vestalis, and A. Rupestris, are among 

 our indigenous examples ; and there are doubtless 

 many foreign kinds, of which we have received as yet 

 no satisfactory account. 



The term Psithyrus was formerly proposed for 

 this genus, but that having been previously employed 

 in another branch of Zoology, Mr. Newman has sup- 

 planted it \>y that used above, which signifies, with- 

 out affection (privative a and tfadog aifectio.) The 

 characters may be briefly given as follows : Labium 

 forming an obtuse angle anteriorly ; posterior tibiae 

 convex above, neither provided with an apparatus 

 for carrying pollen, nor with an auricle at the base 

 of the planta; abdomen oblong, the anal segment 

 dilated into an angle on both sides. 



A. vestalis is rather a large insect, measuring from 

 seven to nine lines. The female is black and hirsute ; 

 the head subglobose ; the thorax with a yellow band 

 anteriorly ; abdomen oblong, inclining to .globose, in- 

 curved at the extremity, the third segment yellow at 

 the margin on both sides, the whole of the fourth 

 and the sides of the fifth whitish, the anal one 

 smooth, and curved inwards. In the male, (fig. 2,) 

 the posterior fascia is broad and whitish, the ex- 

 tremity itself with a patch of black hairs; wings a 

 little dusky ; the apex and the larger nervures -nearly 

 black; legs black. 



