MALES AND FEMALES 97 



There are few more puzzling questions than those 

 which arise over these eccentricities of structure ; 

 they seem to have no relation to any habits of 

 the creatures' lives so far as we can judge, neither 

 can one suggest any useful purpose which they 

 can serve. In some groups the males of all 

 the species seem built on one regular plan in 

 others the males of each species seem to vie 

 with the next as to what eccentricity of structure 

 in antennae or legs or apex of the body it 

 can exhibit. In numbers, the males probably 

 considerably exceed the females, and are far 

 more frequently met with, as they seem to be 

 less particular as to weather, and not being 

 intent on obtaining food for their offspring they 

 fly about more casually, and certainly are more 

 in evidence generally. 



The great difference in structure, etc., between 

 the males and females makes the work of pairing 

 the sexes very difficult, especially in those genera 

 where the males and females appear together only 

 for a few weeks, as is the case in Halictus and 

 Sphecodes. If one visits a locality in the 

 spring one may catch any number of females 

 of Halictus, but no males appear till the late 



B.W.A. H 



