rather narrow, retreating from the antennae toward the
sides, and with a more or less dense tuft of hair between the antennae.
The abdomen, as well as the thorax, is always quite densely covered
with hair, which may be black or yellowish or in bands of either
color. With possibly one or two exceptions, the only species I have
seen doing the puncturing is Bombus affinis, Cresson.

The carpenter bees (Xylocopa Virginica) of this region have the head
very broad and square in front, and with no noticeable hair between
the antennae. The heads of the male and female differ strikingly. In
the male the eyes are lighter colored and are hardly half as far apart
as in the female, and the lower part of the face is yellowish white.
The female has eyes smaller, darker, and very far apart, and the whole
face is perfectly black. The abdomen is broad, of a shining blue-black
color, very sparsely covered with black hairs, except on the first
large segment nearest the thorax. On this segment they are more dense
and of the same tawny color as those on the thorax. But it is
particularly from the character of the head that the amateur observer
of the perforators may soon learn to distinguish between a Xylocopa
and a Bombus as they work among the flowers. It is also interesting to
know that the Xylocopas are not so inclined to sting as the humble
bees, and the males, of course, being without stinging organs, may be
handled with impunity.

Among other insects, honey bees have been said to perforate flowers,
but authentic instances are rare of their doing much damage, or even
making holes. I have only recorded a single instance, and in this a
honey bee was seen to perforate the fragile spurs of Impatiens. When
searching for nectar they quite commonly use the perforations of other
insects. Wasps and other allied insects also perforate for nectar. My
only observations being a Vespa puncturing Cassandra calyculata, an
Andrena (?) perforating the spurs of Aguilegia, and Adynerus
foraminatus biting holes close to the base on the upper side of
rhododendron flowers. The holes made by some of the wasp-like insects
are often more or less circular and with clean-cut edges. The ravages
committed by larvae, beetles and other insects in devouring flowers, or
parts of them, do not properly come under the head of perforations.

The question as to the cause of the handsome corollas of the trumpet
creeper (Tecoma radicans) being so often split and torn has be