358 INSECTS AT HOME. 



which there is continual traffic. One species is called by 

 Mr. F. Smith the Kentish Bee {Andrena pilipes), because it 

 is almost peculiar to Kent. It is a very boldly marked Bee. 

 The down on the bead and thorax is black, the abdomen is 

 shining, and the hinder tibiae are silvery white beneath and 

 brown above. I have fouud it burrowing- in a nearly perpen- 

 dicular sand-bank at Abbey Wood, and reared several of the 

 Bees from their pupa-cells. The tunnels do not run to any 

 great depth, and I was able to cut out the cells with an ordi- 

 nary pocket-knife. In one year there was quite a colony of 

 the Kentish Bee in that spot. It frequents tlie thistle ; and as 

 it returns to its nest, covered with the white pollen of that 

 flower, it presents a very singular appearance. 



Just above Andrena nitida, on Plate XI. and at Fig. 7 is 

 seen another Bee belonging to the same family. Its name is 

 Gilissa hccmorrhoidalis. 



In this genus the head is transverse, Ihe ocelli are set in a 

 curve upon the crown, and the wings are like those of Andrena. 



The colour of the present species is black, with a sprinkling 

 of pale down. The face of the male is densely clothed with 

 bright, but pale yellowish down. On the middle of the thorax 

 the down is black, and the rest similar to that of the face. 

 The down on the first joints of the antennse is pale and on the 

 others is black, with a few yellowish hairs along the sides. 

 The wings are clouded towards their ends. There is a slight 

 difference between the sexes, the female being decidedly larger 

 than the male, and having a line of bright yellowish hair round 

 the thick patch on the thorax, the rest of the down being grey. 

 The fifth and sixth segments of the abdomen are covered with 

 dense golden yellow down. 



According to Mr. F. Smith, this is a local insect, and seems 

 to confine itself to places in which the blue-bell grows, that 

 flower being the only one which it frequents. The habits of the 

 insect are exactly like those of Andrena. There are only two 

 species known to inhabit England. 



The very beautiful Bee which is shown on Woodcut XXXV. 

 is our last example of the Andrenidai. It has, I believe, no 

 popular name, but its scientific title is Dasypoda hirtipes. 



