Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/344

312 Colletes armata, Patt. (4). Helianthus annuus; visited by Perdita albipennis var. hyalina (Cr.), Pseudopanurgus athiops (Cr.) Melissodes agilis, Cr., Andrena helianthi, Rob. (new to N.M.), and Nomia persimilis, Ckll. ined., ♀. The females of Nomia persimilis mimic Andrena helianthi to such a degree that when collecting them I did not distinguish the two species. (5). Asper sp. with purple rays; visited by males of Nomia persimilis, Ckll. ined.

There is one thing to be noticed in connection with the above records, namely, that the flowers which attracted the bees are not only of bright colours, but occur in large masses, so as to be visible from a distance. The other eleven flowers are either comparatively inconspicuous, or do not occur in large masses, except perhaps the Anemiopsis, which seems quite unsuited for bees.

Alt. 7,026 ft. Lat. 35° 41'. Ann. precip. 14·69 in. Mean temp.: annual, 49·6°; for October, 51·0°.

The end of the bee season was at hand, and few species were on the wing. Bigelovia or Chrysothamnus speciosus var.? latisquameus (det. E.O. Wooton) was still in flower, and attracted Halictus ligatus, Say, ♂, Colletes americana, Cr., ♀, and females of Melissodes, besides some undetermined males of Halictus. In a garden, marigolds and marguerites were yet in bloom, and I watched them with interest because, although garden flowers are usually unattractive to wild bees, they are visited when the wild flowers are mostly over, at the end of the summer. The result was as follows:—

(1). Marigolds; visited by males of Halictus ligatus. Say, and males and females of some small species of Halictus not yet studied. (2). Marguerite; visited by one ♀ Perdita snowii, Ckll. This was a most interesting capture, as the species was hitherto known only by a unique specimen taken in Colorado. On Oct. 2nd I took at the marguerite a ♀ Perdita zebrata, Cr. (which normally visits Cleome), and a ♀ Halictus.

A single patch of the wild golden-rod (Solidago canadensis), almost over, was visited by a ♀ Halictus on Sept. 20th.

Two males of Halictus were taken while the train stopped. There were found here, close to the station, not only the common Xanthium canadense, but a quite different species of Xanthium, which to my surprise is reported by Prof. Wooton as differing from anything in the herbarium of Columbia University.