” 34 Genera of Wild Bees. 
soberly attired, workers of the apiary. The beautiful spe- 
cies of Ceratina look much like those of Osmia, but they 
nest in hollows in stems of various plants, which in some 
cascs they themselves form. In south-western Michigan 
they do no little harm by boring the blackberry canes. 
They have simple hind legs. © : 
Other bces—-the numerous species of the genus Nomada, 
and of Apathus, are the black sheep in the family Apida. 
These tramps, already referred to, like the English cuckoo - 
and our American cow-blackbird, steal in upon the unwary, 
and, though all unbidden, lay their eggs; in this way 
appropriating food and lodgings for their own yet unborn. 
Thus these insect vagabonds impose upon the unsuspect- 
ing foster-mothers in these violated homes, and these same 
foster-mothers show by their tender care of these merciless 
intruders, that they are miserably fooled, for they carefully 
guard and feed infant bees, which with age will in turn 
practice’ this same nefarious trickery. The Apathus spe- 
cies are parasites on the Bombus; the Nomada species. 
which are small bees, often beautifully ringed, on the 
small black Andrene. 
The species of Andrenz, Halictus, the red Sphecodes 
and others of the Andrenide of some authors, have short 
flat tongues, with equi-jointed labial palpi. These bees 
have been little studicd, and there are very numerous unde- 
scribed specics. i 
I reluctantly withhold further particulars of this won- 
derful bee family. When first I visited Messrs. Townley 
and Davis, of this State, I was struck with the fine collec- 
tion of wild bees which each had made. Yet, unknow- 
ingly, they had incorporated many that were not bees. 
Of course, many apiarists will wish to make such collec- 
tions and also to study our wild bees. I hope the above 
will prove efficient aid. I hope, too, that it will stimulate 
others, especially youth, to the valuable and intensely 
interesting study of these wonders of nature. I am glad 
to open to the reader a page from the book of nature so 
replete with attractions as is the above. Nor do I think I 
have taken too much space in revealing the strange and 
marvelous instincts, and wonderfully varied habits, of this 
