14 Riley Presidential Address. 



so well fitted for collecting and holding pollen, and to 

 what is known as the antenna-comb or strigil (Fig. 1, rf), 

 a structure with which the bee cleanses itself, and especially the 

 antennae, which are organs of extreme sensibility and need to be 

 kept well cleaned. This structure occurs on the underside of 

 each front leg and is a semi-circular cavity in the upper end of the 

 metatarsus. The cavity is fringed with stiff hairs or spines, form 

 ing a comb. The distal or opposing end of the tibia is furnished 

 with a spur, slightly concave on the inner surface and known as 

 the velum When the tibia and metatarsus are bent at right 

 angles, the velum falls over the cavity and forms an almost cir 

 cular opening just large enough to snugly hold one antenna. 



These are the more conspicuous structures, though there are 

 others of minor importance, all indicating remarkable adaptation 

 to special purposes and to the necessities of the bee. 



The Hive Bee is but one of many species of its family, and 

 while representing the most highly organized of the social insects, 

 has many cousins and more distant relatives which are equally 

 interesting. The numerous bees, with their diversified habits, 

 have an especial interest, when studied structurally and biologi 

 cally, as throwing light on the origin and development not only 

 of the higher social habits and intelligences of the true Hive 

 Bee, but also of its structures, so remarkably fitted for their 

 special purposes. 



Species of Genus Apis and Variations in Apis mellifica. 



The old conception of the Hive Bee, its attributes and struc 

 tures, was that it exemplifies in a marvelous manner creative 

 wisdom for man's interests. Yet while it represents great per 

 fection of organization and of structure, for particular ends, this 

 perfection is relative and not absolute. Though a number of 

 species of the genus Apis have been characterized by authors, there 

 are but four well defined species so far known, and three of them 

 A. dorsata, A. indica and A. florea are confined to India and the 

 East Indian and Philippine Islands. The fourth, Apis mellifica, 

 or the common Hive Bee, was originally introduced into this 

 country from Europe, and doubtless had its origin in some parts 

 of Asia. It has followed civilized man in his migrations over the 

 globe, and has frequently anteceded him, and, being semi-domes 

 ticated, has been more or less influenced by him, as have other 



