Notices of New Books. 4879 



wait patiently till the parasite came forth, when she would re-enter 

 and deposit her burden. It will be observed, in this instance, that 

 between Eucera and Nomada no resemblance exists in general 

 appearance, one being several times larger than the other, and 

 covered with pubescence of a sombre colour ; whereas the parasite is 

 a gaily coloured insect, destitute of pubescence, and readily observed 

 from the brightness of its colouring. To some extent, I have observed 

 that a constant connexion between certain species exists, and I have 

 never met with some species of these parasites except in connexion with 

 certain species of Andrena; but there are others, as Nomada ruficor- 

 nis, succincta, alternata, and Lathburiana, which infest the nests of 

 several species of Andrena indiscriminately ; the species are, A. tibialis, 

 Trimmerana, Afzeliella, and fulva ; but the following I have never 

 observed, except connected as follows : Nomada lateralis and A. lon- 

 gipes, N. baccata and A. argentata, N. borealis and A. Glarkella, N. ger- 

 rnanica and A. fulvescens, and lastly, N. sexfasciata and Eucera lon- 

 gicornis. Much further investigation is still necessary before we can 

 arrive at a knowledge of the real nature of the connexion which exists 

 between the bees and their parasites. It has been supposed that the 

 parasitic larva is hatched sooner than that of the rightful owner of the 

 nest, and that it consequently consumes the food, and leaves the larva 

 of the bee to perish ; but to this I do not assent : it appears so con- 

 trary to all natural laws, that I cannot think it even probable : nature 

 I have never observed to be thus wasteful of animal life — such a pro- 

 ceeding is unnecessary, and therefore unlikely : where a destruction of 

 animal life is observed, it can usually be traced to some reasonable 

 cause, as the destruction of the larvae of certain Lepidoptera, being a 

 check upon their superabundance : a parallel to this does not appear 

 to me to exist in the case of the bees: I am more inclined to believe 

 that when the parasite has deposited her egg upon the store of pollen, 

 the industrious bee at once deserts it, and proceeds to construct a 

 fresh burrow; and that the parasites which may be observed con- 

 stantly entering different burrows, do so in order that they may find 

 the requisite quantity of food, which will usually be much less than 

 that required for the industrious bee; having found which, they de- 

 posit their egg, and the nest is then possibly deserted by its legitimate 

 owner. 



" The Andrenidae are also subject to the attacks of other enemies, if 

 so they can be called ; we have seen that in the first place their food 

 is attacked by Nomadae ; we are now to find their larvae attacked 

 by insects belonging to the Order Coleoptera ; these belong to the 



