1929 ] 
Biology of Mining Bees 
175 
self and primp (this female rubbed the powdery dust off) 
was really uproarously funny; but little details of appear- 
ance seemed to make no difference to him, and he urged his 
attentions without delay. Immediately after their separa- 
tion a half minute later, she went into the hole and the male 
followed. Soon both came out; then they went in again 
as though prospecting, she leading and he following her all 
the time. After a few minutes, both came out, danced and 
fluttered about each other before her doorway for two 
minutes, then she went back to her work and he continued 
the dance for many minutes before the burrow, during all 
the time going no more than two feet away. 
At the rear of the house on its west side was another clay 
embankment, of similar soil, but not protected by a porch, 
and neither did it receive the morning sun. No bees were 
burrowing there, but the area bore many plants of bind- 
weed, with the large white morning-glory-like flowers. Here 
the females sought pollen, and on one autumn day, when 
only six blossoms were open, each flower was occupied by 
an idle male, while dozens of others were trying to find 
places. They would most persistently sit within the cup for 
hours at a time, and would bob up and fight away any bee 
that attempted to enter. All that I examined were males. 
The only explanation that I can think of to justify such 
conduct is that they were lying in wait here for the females. 
Yet I cannot have full confidence in even this supposition, 
for on a few occasions I saw these dogs-in-the-manger fight 
away even the females who came in earnest quest of pollen. 
The same leg-pulling behavior that was seen on the clay 
bank was practiced within the blossoms whenever a second 
male attempted to usurp the place of the first. When the 
males entered the flowers they did so head first and then 
turned themselves around and faced the outside, so they 
could watch what was going on out in the world. It will be 
noted that while the length of life of adult males of the two 
species of Anthophora bees is only a few days, in E. taurea 
the males live all summer. 
When the females came in from the fields pollen-laden, 
it appeared at first that they carried the pollen under the 
abdomen, with great masses bulging out at the sides and 
