58 



PLATE CCCCLXXXIX. 



The five diftinft denticles at the extremity of the abdomen form an 

 excellent fpecifical diilinaion of this kind of bee. The fpecies is 

 very common in fome parts of Britain. When on the wing, it is ob- 

 ferved to hover over flowers in the fame manner as Sphinx Stellata- 

 rum : the Glechoma hederacea (ground. ivy) appears to be its fa- 

 vourite, being found during the greater part of the fummer on beds of 

 thefe fragrant plants. 



When the female prepares to conftruft the nidus in which the infant 

 brood is to be depofited, me feeks a convenient hollow in old palings, 

 the cavity of a wall, or other retreat eligible for her reception ; and 

 having determined the fpot, me next reforts to fome tomentous or 

 woolly kind of . plant, to obtain materials for the completion of 

 her object. The portion of down required me ftrips or ihaves off 

 with aftoniming celerity and addrefs, conveys it away to her hiding- 

 place in bundles between her head and fore legs, and repeats her 

 vifits till the quantity procured prove fufficient for her ufe. She then 

 proceeds to line the infide of the cavity with the down, and lays her 

 eggs, each of which is enveloped in a feparate covering, compofed of 

 the fame vegetable materials. 



Some accurate obfervers of the habits of this induftrious little in- 

 fect have been led to imagine, that it employs only the tomentum or 

 down of one particular kind of plant, namely, that of Agroftemma coro- 

 naria ; and it does indeed appear, from the refult of their remarks, 

 that the nidus is in general conftructed with the down of this fpecies 

 of vegetables. There is neverthelefs fome reafon for believing, that the 

 down collected for this purpofe is not on every occafion confined 

 exclufively to the plant before mentioned. 



PLATE 



