72 BRITISH BEES. 



The genus Nomada is the first of the genuine para- 

 sitical bees, and about the habits of which no doubt can 

 be entertained ; certainly not the same as attaches both 

 to Hylceus and Sphecodes, among the Andrenidce. The 

 parasitical habits of Nomada are evident and unmistak- 

 able. This is the handsomest genus, in variety of colour 

 and elegance of form, of all our native bees, but the 

 species are never conspicuous for size. They have much 

 of the appearance of wasps, and are often mistaken for 

 them even by entomologists, who have not paid attention 

 to bees. Many of our native species seem limited to 

 our own islands : others of our species occur in France 

 and Germany, and through Denmark in direct line to 

 Lapland, turning down into Russia, and have been 

 caught as far south as Albania. One of our species, or 

 so like as to want distinguishing characteristics, is found 

 in Canada. Did ours migrate there ? and how ? The 

 genus is of wide distribution, but occurs only north of 

 the Equator, where it spreads from Portugal to the 

 Philippine Islands. It is found in Siberia and North- 

 ern China, whence through the Philippines it passes to 

 Tranquebar, then up to Northern India, and thence by 

 Bagdad to the Morea and Albania, and dips down to 

 Northern Africa at Tunis, and on to Oran and Tangiers, 

 and completes its circuit in Portugal. It is doubtless 

 parasitical upon many more genera and species than we 

 find it infest in this country, although all that the several 

 species pair off with here are not fully designated, es- 

 pecially among the Andrenm, and smaller Halicti. The 

 number of species, British and foreign, known to col- 

 lectors approximate to a hundred. 



The genus Melecta is another handsome parasitical 

 insect. This is always a dark beauty, and is very limited 



