OF WASHINGTON. 23 



These facts lead me to conclude that Mr. Girard is quite in 

 error in his opinion that these entrance-tubes are constructed of 

 wax, and also equally so in the view that they are for the express 

 purpose of shutting out the light. Propolis is doubtless the 

 material of the tubes, and they are probably built for defence 

 only. 



Some discussion followed on the nature of the substance used 

 in the construction of the entrance-tubes and honey-cells, and the 

 author was also questioned as to the natural enemies of these 

 bees. In reply he stated that one of their enemies seems to be 

 the common honey-bee, Apis mcllijica, which robs the nests and 

 eventually drives out and destroys the stingless Melipona. Mr. 

 Schwarz referred to a paper by Dr. Von Ihering, in which the 

 statement was made that the native bees had been almost driven 

 out and destroyed in the province of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 

 by Apis mellifica* which had rapidly spread over the entire 

 district. The bee-moth was also stated by Mr. Benton to infest 

 the nests of Melipona, but he was unable to give any facts as to 

 the native or original enemies of Melipona except in a general 

 way that they were subject to the attacks of various birds and 

 Vespas. That there must be, however, various insect parasites 

 which are peculiar to these bees was urged by Mr. Schwarz and 

 others. The death's-head moth having been mentioned as an 

 enemy of bees, Mr. Schwarz inquired in what way the damage 

 from this moth occurred. Mr. Benton stated that it consisted in 

 its entering the hives and robbing them of their honey, which 

 injury was probably not very extensive, as the moth rarely escaped 

 from the hive, but was killed and dismembered by the bees aa.id 

 sealed up in the hive in a covering of propolis. Mr. Howard 

 queried whether the wax which was known to be abundant and a 

 common article of commerce in the times of the Motezumas, 

 among the ancient Mexicans, was a product of the native 

 Melipona. In answer to a question as to the geographical dis 

 tribution of these bees (Melipona) Mr. Benton stated that, so far 

 as he knew, they are limited to the New World and occur in the 

 greatest abundance in Southeast Brazil and other parts of 

 South and Central America, and in the West Indies. The 

 Trigona occurs in Brazil and other tropical countries of South 



