252 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



cinereous pubescence, and the abdomen has sometimes, but rarely, a 

 little yellow pubescence in the middle of the base, this is usually 

 abraded ; the wings are a degree lighter than in X cestuans, the male 

 scarcely differs from it ; it is usually rather larger than any specimen 

 of X. cestuans male, the posterior tibite are niore incrassate, and the 

 pubescence on the tarsi is more ferruginous ; the species is also a 

 degree larger." 



The above descriptions of two very closely allied species of 

 " Carpenter bees " are taken from Smith's Monograph of the genus 

 published in the Trans. Ent. Soc. Part II., April 1874, and though 

 not full and detailed, are suficient to enable one to note the difference 

 between the two species. Both occur in Burma, but whereas in Pegu 

 and Lower Burma generally X. cestuans is the common form, 

 from Tenasserim I have only got X. bryorum. 



MULES. 



By J. H. Steel, A.Y.D., 



Principal, Bombay Veterinary College, 



(Bead at the Society's Meeting on 11th August 1890.) 

 Among animals of transport the hybrid of the horse and the ass 

 holds an honoured place, and has done so through ages. This is 

 due to sterling qualities which have enabled him to overcome pre- 

 judice and in many cases force his way by proved superiority as a 

 baggage animal, by hardihood, strength, independence of character, 

 and certain other good qualities. Thus, he has now become an 

 object of much attention from Government and the public in India, 

 his superiority for military transport having been fully established 

 in many a hard-fought campaign, and the mule-breeding industry 

 is a lucrative one to those who take it in hand. Several small books 

 and pamphlets have been written on the mule, but there is still room 

 for a larger and more comprehensive work on so important an animal. 

 The first point we have to decide is, what is a " mule ?" The 

 pre-eminence among hybrids of the equine has caused the term 



