94s BRITISH BEES. 



The study of the geographical distribution of natural 

 objects has a more universal bearing, and yields collec- 

 tively more definite instruction and information than its 

 partial treatment, when restricted to small groups, may 

 at first seem to promise. This, however, is very useful, 

 for it is but by the combination of such special details 

 that the enlarged views are to be obtained, from which 

 theories of the general laws of distribution can be de- 

 duced. Of course, small creatures with locomotive capa- 

 cities will not supply the positive conclusions that may 

 be framed from such objects as are fixed to their abode, 

 and have not the same power of diffusion, although they 

 certainly appear to be generally restrained within par- 

 ticular limits by physical conditions of the earth's surface 

 subservient to the maintenance of special forms of organic 

 life; and these, once determined, would yield and de- 

 rive reciprocal illustration. They may be merely cli- 

 matic, but climate thus indicated cannot be estimated 

 by zones, or belts, or regions; for they seem to traverse 

 all these, and follow undulations not specially appreci- 

 able except in the results they exhibit. 



Unfortunately the bees have been too imperfectly col- 

 lected, and too irregularly registered, to admit of arriving 

 at any precise conclusions with respect to them. All 

 that can as yet be done will be to combine the scanty 

 notices afforded by the contents of our collections, in 

 the hope that their promulgation may induce collectors, 

 who happen to have the often extremely rare opportunity 

 of examining distant countries, to avail themselves of 



