52 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[Makch 1, 1898. 



Fig. 2.—Amlreitafiiha. 



and nectar. On her return there is no sign of her home, 

 but she, possessing the bump of locahty to a large degree, 

 sets herself to work to find or make an entrance through 

 the hardened sand. This she proceeds to do by removing 

 the sand with her powerful mandibles, which are frequently 

 worn down until they are made stumpy in her efforts to 

 reach her burrow — efforts terminating in success. 



The male of A. 

 fulva has its man- 

 dibles enormously 

 developed. Some of 

 these bees, on first 

 emerging from their 

 burrow, are exqui- 

 sitely arranged and 

 exact in every fringe 

 of hairs, on head, 

 abdomen, and legs. 

 One of the neatest 

 is Anilreiin fulvimis, 

 which is markedly 

 common at High- 

 gate Cemetery — a 

 good locality for 

 many kinds of bees, 

 where they can live and die in peace. The neighbour- 

 hood of Highgate Archway, too, used to be a noted spot 

 for uncommon AnJrfna, such as A. hinijipes : but now it 

 sounds like mockery to mention such localities as Copen- 

 hagen " Fields " and Highgate " Fields." 



Leaving the Andrence, we now come to a bee, ^^llC)■opix 

 hihiata, of which, when the late Mr. Fred. Smith wrote his 

 " Bees of Great Britain," in 1855, only three specimens (all 

 males) were known to exist. The first captured in this country 

 found its resting place in the British Museum ; the second 

 was taken by Mr. Walton in the New Forest ; and Mr. 

 Samuel Stevens captured a third at Weybridge, on July 

 4th, 1842 ; and though the surrounding country had been 

 searched year after year, it did not yield another specimen. 

 Not until the year 1878 was this rare bee heard of again, 

 but then the well-known hymenopterist, Mr. Bridgman, 

 appeared at the right time and right place to find both 

 males and females. In 1882 I went to Uve at Woking, 

 which was then a comparatively small place. At that 

 time I used to wander about without interference, and 

 I could revel in studying insects, especially bees. Previous 

 to taking up my abode at Woking a microscopist asked 

 me what I was going to take when I got there. I 

 immediately replied, " Oh, Macropis," adding, " 1 will 

 write and let you know immediately I capture it." 



In the following 

 ■July I observed 

 large quantities of a 

 flower somewhat 

 new to me, upon 

 which I kept con- 

 stant observation — 

 having a presenti- 

 ment that I should 

 find ]\[(icropis upon 

 or about it. On 

 July 27th, 1882, my 

 valued friend, the 

 late Sir Sidney 

 Smith Saunders, 

 paid me a visit, and 

 we both went out 

 " beeing." At noon exactly I noted a bee pass by whose 

 hum I did not know, so I waited until it should return. 



which it did in a few minutes — little suspecting that it was 

 doomed to be captured, by a rapid stroke from my arm. I 

 quickly removed it from my net and brought my magnifier 

 to bear ; I then called to Sir Sidney to come and have a 

 look at something, asking, as I gave it into bis fingers, 

 " What's thot :' " when after a few moments' pause Sir 

 Sidney almost shrieked with excitement, " Why, it's 

 Macroph ! " I boxed it safely, feeling that my presenti- 

 ment had indeed come true. 



After this piece of fortune Sir Sidney and I were 

 much excited, and jumped hither and thither like parched 

 peas ; but all in vain that day — no more Macropis 



Fig. Z.-CilU 



hcemorrhoidaUs 



On the 29th I was found on the spot with eyes and ears 

 at full cock ; my patience was rewarded by capturing four 

 more male and one female Maempis. I quickly discovered 

 the fact that the latter knew how to sting. After my first 

 capture 1 sent a card to my friend, informing him that " I 

 had got Macropis." 



Sir Sidney S. Saunders and I had several rambles 

 together in search of this beautiful bee, and each was 

 rewarded by capturing several males and females. The 

 following year, 1883, I saw dozens of both sexes, which I 

 left to be fruitful and multiply. I searched in vain for 

 their burrows, though I tried all kinds of dodges. Catching 

 some, I gently tied a delicate piece of fine silk to one of the 

 legs, then a small piece of white tissue paper, and started 

 the bee flying. I followed the bees long distances, but all 

 my efforts were futile. Some of the " rims " ended by my 

 catching my foot in a twig and falling headlong into a 

 gorse bush, from which I was glad to retire as soon as 

 possible. Woking has since increased to five times the 

 size, and some of the best parts of the common are utterly 

 ruined. 



Another beautiful bee which I used to find occasionally 

 in the neighbourhood of Woking was ' 'ilissa hcBmorrhoidalU, 

 which affects the flowers of the harebell — another 



flower that is not so plentiful as in years past, but one 



absolutely necessary to this bee — one of the most energetic 



and businesslike insects with which I am acquainted. 



Quick eyes and hands are needed to capture this prize, for 



it only appears in the hottest sunshine, when everything 



must be ready for 



its reception. It 



announces itself 



without a moment's 



hesitation, and does 



not tarry long, for it 



is no sooner in one 



harebell than it is 



out again and away 



— except, indeed, 



when the net follows 



up as quickly. Even 



when it is in the net 



the capture is not 



complete, for this 



bee does not sham 



death as do others, 



but bustles about in 



a mostvigorous manner in its endeavours to escape, stinging, 



too, in the most approved style. I do not think any bee 



possesses such an exquisitely beautiful tongue as this one. 



In outward appearance this bee is much like a large honey 



bee, though much more hairy. Fig. 3 gives an idea of 



the head and tongue. Whilst searching for Cilissn I used 



occasionally to find a few of that grand bee, Dasypoda 



hirtipes — the hairy bee — without doubt the most beautiful 



and graceful of all British bees. It has only once been 



Fig. 4. — Dasypoda'hirfipes. 



