OF NEW ENGLAND. 115 



in B. virginicus. Abdomen wholly black beneath. Length, 

 .65 ; breadth, .35 inch. 



Compared with JB. virginicus this species is considerably 

 larger ; the head when seen from above is much broader, 

 eyes twice as large, outer edge of the fore wings straight- 

 er, making the wings more triangular, and they are a 

 little darker. In form the two species are very similar. 



Worker. Head short and broad ; the front is black, with 

 a transverse yellow tuft just above the antennae ; the 

 hairs are remarkably short, dense and more glossy and 

 velvety than usual. Thorax of a rich lemon-yellow above ; 

 in certain lights, especially on the sides, tinged with 

 pruinose. Two basal segments of the abdomen obscurely 

 fuscous, intermixed at the base with yellowish hairs ; 

 second ring most distinctly fuscous ; remainder of the 

 abdomen black, with very short hairs. Length, .55 : 

 breadth, .22 inch. 



This species connects B. virginicus with B. vagans and 

 B. ternarius, which last it resembles in its broad head and 

 compact body. The obscurely brick-red base of the 

 abdomen Avill serve to separate this species from B. vir- 

 ginicus, besides the smooth, glossy, velvety bloom which 

 is due to the short, evenly cut, dense hairs. 



Mr. Cresson observes in a letter, " that the second ring 

 of the abdomen varies from yellow to dark fuscous, 

 sometimes quite red. The hairs on the head are some- 

 times mixed with yellow on the vertex and sometimes 

 entirely black.-'' 



Mr. Putnam collected a nest of over twenty workers at 

 Briclport, all of which had the second ring reddish above. 

 At another time a solitary male was captured which did 

 not differ from the workers. Another male was taken 

 near Boston by Mr. Sanborn. 



Bombus vagans Smith. 



Male. In form and size closely resembling B. vir- 

 ginicus ; the front is wholly yellow. Black ; thorax above 

 and beneath, two basal joints of the abdomen and the 

 under side of the femora yellow ; beneath, on the side 

 of the abdomen to just before the tip are sparse yellow 

 hairs. Tarsi dark fuscous, with fuscous hairs. Wings 

 pale. Length, .55 ; breadth, .28 inch. 



