LEAF-CUTTING BEE. 107 



was yellow, with the four terminal segments of the abdo- 

 men black. 



July 22. Two cells of Megachile were brought to me, 

 having been found in the crown of a bonnet in a closet. 

 One of these cells, about half filled with pollen (mixed 

 with honey?) contained a small larva, and was closed by 

 several pieces of leaf wfiich were quite fresh. The other 

 cell was empty and not completed. 



August 4. A third species was discovered, in consid- 

 erable numbers, on the same bushes. These were of 

 about the same color as the preceding, but so much 

 larger as to be easily recognized. 



These three species, assisted by a single specimen 

 of a blue species of Osmia, which was captured while 

 cutting out a piece of leaf,, on the 28th of June, were 

 so numerous, and worked so diligently, that they ruined 

 five or six rose bushes, not leaving a single unblighted 

 leaf uncut, and were forced to take the leaves of a locust 

 tree as a substitute, though they almost invariably hov- 

 ered over the rose bushes before going to the locust tree. 



During the last of August many specimens of the three 

 species of Megachile were collected from the thistle flowers, 

 where they were quite abundant. 



VII. The Humble Bees of New England and their Para- 

 sites ; with notices of a new species of Anthophorabia, and 

 a new genus of Proctotrupidai. By A. S. Packard Jr. 



[Communicated April 23, 1864.] 



The following descriptions of all the species of Humble 

 Bees known to inhabit New England, together with descrip- 

 tions of some of their parasites will, it is hoped, draw the 

 attention of entomologists to the great interest attending 

 the study of the growth and economy of our native bees. 



Mr. E. T. Cresson in a " List of the North American 

 species of Bombus and Apathus" published in the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Entomological Societ} 7 of Philadelphia for 

 July, 1863, has given descriptions of over forty species of 

 Bombus, and eight species of Apathus. This has been of 



