Insects. 7073 



A Revision of the Synonymy of the British Species of the Genus 

 Bomhus of Latreille. By Frederick Smith, Esq., Zoological 

 Department of the British Museum. 



In the second volume of the ' Zoologist ' I published my first 

 revision of the genus Bombus ; in the fourth 1 described, as a new- 

 species, the B. subterraneus, and on turning back to the remarks which 

 I at that time added it will be seen that I was conscious of the diffi- 

 culties which attended a discrimination of the species, and expressed 

 a conviction that hereafter it would be found that I had committed 

 many errors. 



In 1855 my monograph on the Bees of Great Britain was published, 

 and the sj^nonymy again underwent a revision ; many corrections were 

 undoubtedly made, but several errors were again endorsed. 



It may at first sight appear somewhat remarkable that a third 

 revision should be found necessary, but this idea will not occur to those 

 who have studied the Apidae. I by no means flatter myself that the 

 revision which I now put forth is perfect, but I think it will prove to 

 be a close approach to so desirable an end. It is doubtless a work of 

 considerable labour to work out the species of even a small group of 

 insects so as to bring the nomenclature into satisfactory accordance 

 with that employed by continental authors, and when this desirable 

 end is accomplished how frequently does a single lesson of out-door 

 Entomology upset some of our apparently most felicitous conclusions ! 



Were I to delay the publication of the nomenclature until I have 

 satisfied myself of its being so perfect that nothing, apparently, could 

 subsequently disturb any portion of my fancied work of perfection, it 

 is probable that this paper would never see the light ; but having 

 amassed probably the largest amount of material that has ever been 

 brought together for the purpose of investigation, and having with 

 ranch care and to the best of my ability thoroughly gone over it, I 

 deem it best to place the results in an available position. 



In order that I might come to my task prepared with the best 

 possible materials for the purpose, I entered into correspondence with 

 Hymenopterists in Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany, and 

 having supplied them with examples of the British species, and also 

 received from them the species of their respective localities, I have 

 been in a position to rectify many errors which, without possessing 

 specimens, I could never have accomplishe'd. The short general 

 descriptions of both Linneus and Fabricius are not sufficient for such 

 XVIIl. 2 O 



