Opening the text

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British IslesShuckard, William Edward

Science

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles

Name: British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles
Author: Shuckard, William Edward

Shuckard, William Edward

Bees; Hymenoptera -- Great Britain

4-5½ lines.
        _pilosula_, Kirby.
    36. _angustior_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
    37. _picicornis_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 5-6 lines.
    38. _spinigera_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 5-6 lines.
    39. _Smithella_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 3-6 lines.
    40. _Lapponica_, Zetterstedt, ♂ ♀. 3½-5½ lines.
    41. _tridentata_, Kirby, ♂. 4½ lines.
    42. _denticulata_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5½ lines.
        _Listerella_, Kirby.
    43. _nigriceps_, Kirby, ♀. 5 lines.
    44. _pubescens_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
        _rufitarsis_, Kirby.
        _fuscipes_, Kirby.

       §§§§ _Thorax very pubescent, abdomen smooth and shining._

    45. _albicans_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
    46. _pilipes_, Fabricius, ♂ ♀. 5-7 lines.
        _pratensis_, Kirby.
    47. _cineraria_, Linnæus, ♂ ♀. 5-7 lines. (Plate II. fig. 2 ♂ ♀.)
        _cineraria_, Kirby.
    48. _thoracica_, Fabricius, ♂ ♀. 5-7½ lines.
        _thoracica_, Kirby.
        _melanocephala_, Kirby.
    49. _nitida_, Fourcroy, ♂ ♀. 5-6½ lines. (Plate II. fig. 3 ♂ ♀.)
        _nitida_, Kirby.
    50. _vitrea_, Smith, ♀. 6½ lines.

               §§§§ _The entire body densely pubescent._

    51. _fulva_, Schrank, ♂ ♀. 4-6½ lines. (Plate II. fig. 1 ♂ ♀.)
        _fulva_, Kirby.
    52. _Clarkella_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4½-6½ lines.


                         GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

Fabricius seems to have named this genus from _ανθρήνη_, _a wasp_, but
why, it is impossible to say. Although one name is as good as another,
it being indifferent what the name may be, yet where so evident an
attempt to give a name pertinence is conspicuous, it is remarkable that
it should be so little relevant, for none of the characteristics of a
wasp or hornet are exhibited in these insects.

Possibly it was from the genus being the most numerous in species that
Dr. Leach was induced to give this subfamily its collective designation,
making the other genera thus converge to it as to a centre. He took its
elliptical form as typical. Indeed, it is remarkable how very
judiciously this was done, for it is a form not apparent among the
normal bees excepting in two exceptional cases, the one upon the
frontiers of this subfamily, in almost debatable land, where the last of
the _Andrenidæ_ and the first of the _Apidæ_ seem almost to melt into
one another; and in the other case, in the parasitical _Nomada_, whose
parasitism is in every instance, but one only, restricted to the first
subfamily. A different type of form prevails amongst the _Apidæ_, upon
which I shall have subsequently occasion to speak.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British IslesShuckard, William Edward

Science

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles

Shuckard, William Edward

Bees; Hymenoptera -- Great Britain

4-5½ lines.
        _pilosula_, Kirby.
    36. _angustior_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
    37. _picicornis_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 5-6 lines.
    38. _spinigera_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 5-6 lines.
    39. _Smithella_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 3-6 lines.
    40. _Lapponica_, Zetterstedt, ♂ ♀. 3½-5½ lines.
    41. _tridentata_, Kirby, ♂. 4½ lines.
    42. _denticulata_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5½ lines.
        _Listerella_, Kirby.
    43. _nigriceps_, Kirby, ♀. 5 lines.
    44. _pubescens_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
        _rufitarsis_, Kirby.
        _fuscipes_, Kirby.

       §§§§ _Thorax very pubescent, abdomen smooth and shining._

    45. _albicans_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4-5 lines.
    46. _pilipes_, Fabricius, ♂ ♀. 5-7 lines.
        _pratensis_, Kirby.
    47. _cineraria_, Linnæus, ♂ ♀. 5-7 lines. (Plate II. fig. 2 ♂ ♀.)
        _cineraria_, Kirby.
    48. _thoracica_, Fabricius, ♂ ♀. 5-7½ lines.
        _thoracica_, Kirby.
        _melanocephala_, Kirby.
    49. _nitida_, Fourcroy, ♂ ♀. 5-6½ lines. (Plate II. fig. 3 ♂ ♀.)
        _nitida_, Kirby.
    50. _vitrea_, Smith, ♀. 6½ lines.

               §§§§ _The entire body densely pubescent._

    51. _fulva_, Schrank, ♂ ♀. 4-6½ lines. (Plate II. fig. 1 ♂ ♀.)
        _fulva_, Kirby.
    52. _Clarkella_, Kirby, ♂ ♀. 4½-6½ lines.


                         GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

Fabricius seems to have named this genus from _ανθρήνη_, _a wasp_, but
why, it is impossible to say. Although one name is as good as another,
it being indifferent what the name may be, yet where so evident an
attempt to give a name pertinence is conspicuous, it is remarkable that
it should be so little relevant, for none of the characteristics of a
wasp or hornet are exhibited in these insects.

Possibly it was from the genus being the most numerous in species that
Dr. Leach was induced to give this subfamily its collective designation,
making the other genera thus converge to it as to a centre. He took its
elliptical form as typical. Indeed, it is remarkable how very
judiciously this was done, for it is a form not apparent among the
normal bees excepting in two exceptional cases, the one upon the
frontiers of this subfamily, in almost debatable land, where the last of
the _Andrenidæ_ and the first of the _Apidæ_ seem almost to melt into
one another; and in the other case, in the parasitical _Nomada_, whose
parasitism is in every instance, but one only, restricted to the first
subfamily. A different type of form prevails amongst the _Apidæ_, upon
which I shall have subsequently occasion to speak.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles

British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles

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