1^92.] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



The male Ciomts scrophulartLe has a ridge of yellow hair on the last 

 segment. The male Miaviis campanuiw. has the last ventral segment 

 with two tubercles. 



THE H Y M E N O P T E K A - A C U L E A T A 

 OF LANCASHIRE & CHESHH^E, 



BY WILLOUGHBY GARDNER, F.R.G.S. 

 (Coniiiiut'd from p. 208). 



PSITHYRUS. 



Another genus of parasitical Bees ; they resemble tiie members 

 of the genus Bonibiis, upon which they are parasitic, living apparently 

 in perfect harmony with them in their nests ; they consist of two 

 sexes, male and female only, no neuter. The various species are 

 usually prom.iscuous in the selection of tl^ieir hosts, but the following 

 are frequently associated together, viz. : 



P. nipestris in nests of B. lapidarius. 



P. vestalis ,, B. terrestris. 



7 • 7 \ ^- shfimshirafius. 



P. quadncolor ,, d v ^- 



5? n ^ jyvatoruni, etc. 



. \ B. hortovum. 



p. campestns „ „ , latnellellus. 



The species v/hich have been taken in our district are : — 

 PsiTHYRUS, Lep. 



rupestris, Fab. — Apathies, Newm. — Only reported, so far, from 



West Kirby, J.T.G. ; and Thurstaston, W.G. 

 vestalis, Fourc. — Southport, B.C.; Chat Moss, on catkins, J. R.H. ; 



Delamere, Helsby, and Chester, R.N. ; Chester, E.C.T. 

 barbutellus, Kirb., nec Sm. — cninpsstris, Tiioms. ? — Near Man- 

 chester, J.R.Pf.; Rainhill, H.H.H.; Oxton, W.G. ; Rock 

 Ferry, J.T.G. 



campestris, Panz. — Rossiellus, Kirb., Thorns, - Hough End Clough 

 near Manchester, J. R.H. ; Knowsley, near Liverpool, H.H.H. ; 

 abundant at Delamere and Chester, E.T.C., R.N. Two 

 specimens taken at the Leadworks, Chester, are entirely black 

 varieties, R.N. 



quadricolor, Lep. — Barbutellus, Sm. - Two very dark s])ecimens 

 at Thorpe Villa, Chester, E.T.C. 



APIS. 



Apis, Linn. 



mehihca, Linn. — The hive bee. The ^'ariety lioiis/icii occurs 

 near Manchester, J. R.H. 



