174 



BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



situations. M. circumcincta sometimes forms large colonies, 

 and^ as far as I have observed, always burrows in banks. I 

 found the rare species, M. argentata^ constructing its nests in 

 sandy banks on the coast below^ Southend. The Poppy Bee, 

 Anthocopa papaveris, is closely allied to this genus, and may 

 indeed be placed befoi-e it, as a connecting link with the Osmice, 

 This interesting insect, VAbeille Tapissiere oi Reaumur, has been 

 supposed to inhabit this country, specimens having been placed 

 in the Collection at the British Museum ; but it w^as with much 

 regret that I discovered, when engaged upon the Catalogue of 

 British Bees for the Museum, and had occasion to examine 

 each individual specimen Avith care, in the first place that there 

 was no satisfactory evidence of their locality ; and in the next, 

 that the males associated with the series were those of Osmia 

 adunca of Panzer ; for these reasons the genus is omitted in this 

 work. 



This is probably the most universally distributed genus of bees; 

 it is found in all parts of the world, and, like all the industrial 

 sections, has its parasites; these are the various species of CceIi- 



Mr. Waterhouse bred C. A-dentata from the cells of M. 



oxys, 

 circumcincta. 



I 



have reared C. riifescens from the cells of 

 Saropoda bimaculata, and have also obtained C. conica from 

 the nest of M, WiUughbiella ; C. Vectis is parasitic on M. mart- 

 tima : both the latter species abound in Sandown Bay during the 

 months of July and August. 



The males of this genus present broad distinctive specific dif- 

 ferences, whilst those of the females are difficult to detect; and 

 it will be necessary to bear in mind that the descriptions are 

 from specimens in the finest condition^ the colour of the pubes- 

 cence soon fading from exposure. 



I 



Div. I. — Anterior tarsi of the males not dilated. 



1. Megachile centnnciilaris. 



M, cinerascenti-pubescens ; abdomine fcemin(e subcordato, sag- 

 mentorum marginibus albidis; abdomine maris subglohoso; 

 coxis anteiuoribus inermibvis. 



Apis centuncularis, Linn, Faun, Suec, p. 420. 1G87 ; Syst. Nat* i* 

 953. 4$. 



Scop. Ent. Cam, p. 300. 799. 



Fabr, Syst. Ent, p. 385. 42 ; Ent, Syst, ii. 337. 98. 



