CUCKOO BEES. 361 



re-enter and deposit her burden. It will be observed in this 

 instance, that between Eucera and Nomada no resemblance 

 exists in general appearance, one being several times larger 

 than the other, and covered with pubescence of a sombre 

 colour ; whereas the parasite is a gaily-coloured insect, desti- 

 tute of pubescence, and readily observed from the brightness 

 of its colouring.' 



As the result of long, laborious, and minute examination, 

 Mr. Smith is of opinion that the Nomada is parasitic upon 

 the food, and not upon the larva of the Solitary Bee, and that 

 when the latter finds an egg in her burrow, she deserts it and 

 goes off to make another. Altogether, twenty-four British 

 species of a Nomada are known. The generic name Nomada 

 is Greek, and siguilies a creature that wanders in search of 

 food and has no lixed home. 



On Woodcut XXXVI. Figs. 1 and 2, are shown both sexes of 

 the parasitic bee called Coslioxys simplex. One of the most 

 striking points in this genus is the strongly marked difference 

 in form of the two sexes. In the female, as seen at Fig. 2, 

 the abdomen is peculiarly sharp, giving occasion for the 

 generic title of Coelioxys, or ' sharp-bellied.' The abdomen of 

 the male, however, is broad, and boldly toothed at the end. 

 Tae head is as wide as the thorax, and the ocelli are placed 

 upon the crown in a triangular form ; the eyes are rather long 

 and hairy. The thorax is rather globular, and the scutellum 

 has a tooth on either side. The upper wings have one mar- 

 ginal and two submarginal cells, as shown in the illustration. 



The present species is perhaps the most plentiful of its 

 genus, of which six British species are known, all being 

 parasitic on Solitary Bees. The colour of the insect is black, 

 with a very pale yellowish down on the head and thorax. The 

 wings are dusky, but translucent, and are darker towards their 

 tips. The abdomen is shining black, with a few large punc- 

 tures. These Cuckoo-bees are often parasitic on the well- 

 known Leaf-cutter Bees, one of which is shown at Figf. 5 of 

 the same Woodcut. 



In the Bee which is drawn on Woodcut XXXVI. Fig. 3, 

 we have an example of parasitism carried out to a curious 



