July, 1889. midland union of natural history societies. 149 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY 
SOCIETIES. 
We are glad to report that a very cordial invitation has 
been given by the Oxford Natural History Society to hold the 
Annual Meeting of the Midland Union in that city in the 
Autumn, and that the Executive Committee of the Union, at 
the suggestion of the Oxford Society, has fixed Monday and 
Tuesday, September 23rd and 24th, for the Meeting. These 
days are in the week immediately following the Meeting of 
the British Association, at Newcastle (September 11-19), 
and will, therefore, suit those who wish to attend the great 
omnium gatherum of scientific men and others. 
The Union is to be heartily congratulated upon this 
invitation from the youngest society in its ranks, and we 
hope that everything will be done to make the Meeting the 
success it deserves to be. On the part of the host-society, 
we are assured that no efforts will be spared, and the 
attractions of Oxford are so great and varied, that the 
Meeting ought to be one of the largest in the history of 
the Union. 
WILD BEES. 
BY R. C. L. PERKINS, 
JESUS COLLEGE, OXFORD. 
(Concluded from page 129.) 
OSMIA. 
Of this genus we have only ten British species, but their 
habits are varied and interesting, and it will be necessary to 
take the different species more or less apart instead of speak¬ 
ing of the group as a whole. They have a ventral pollen¬ 
brush, and their mandibles are exceedingly powerful, so that 
some of the species can readily burrow into hard wood. 
The habits of many of the species vary under different 
conditions : Osrnia rufa for instance, a very abundant species, 
may often be found forming its burrows in an old tree or post, 
at other times in the mortar of walls, or in the ground ; or 
it will make use of any ready-made suitable cavity, an old 
lock for instance, or a hollow stone, and fill them with its 
cells. It may very properly be included amongst the so called 
“ Mason bees,” for it very frequently constructs its cells of 
