THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 135 



3, and one species from Antigua. The large number from Arctic America 

 is surprising, and would lead one to think that the number given for the 

 more southern parts is not correct. The Arctic species, however, are 

 peculiar to that part of the continent, only three of them being found in 

 Hudson Bay Territory, and only one of them coming as far south as 

 Canada. Many of the other species are also local, but some are found 

 over a wide area. Thus virginicus is found all over Canada and the 

 United States east of the Rocky Mountains, vagans from Canada to the 

 west, fervidus, pennsylvanicus and separates the same, and ternarius, the 

 only Arctic species found in Canada (according to Cresson), seems to 

 extend also over the North-Eastern, Middle and far Western States. 

 Britain possesses about 40 species. 



The common name, Humble Bee, is said to be derived from Hummel 

 or Hummer Bee, alluding to the noise made by the wings during flight. In 

 Scotland the largest species found there is called the Bumbee. 



In North America the Humble Bee is the nearest approach we have, 

 as far as indigenous Bees are concerned, to the Hive Bee. The latter (A. 

 tnellifica), however, has become naturalized on this continent in the forests 

 to a considerable degree beyond civilization, making its nests in hollow 

 trees, or among the branches, sometimes under ledges or in clefts of the 

 rocks. It is said not to have been found to the west of the Mississippi 

 before 1797, but in 14 years it had advanced 600 miles further in that 

 direction. I have never heard of the Honey Bee becoming wild in 

 Canada, but it probably would if neglected when swarming takes place. 



To return, however, to the Humble Bees. They do not form com- 

 munities so large as Honey Bees, seldom more than two or three hundred 

 occupying one nest, in some species not more than fifty or sixty. The 

 community is dissolved on the approach of winter ; the males and workers 

 die, and only females have the power of passing the winter in a torpid 

 state, among moss, in rotten wood, or in some other situation where they 

 may enjoy protection from frost and concealment from enemies — to per- 

 petuate the race by founding new communities in the ensuing spring. 

 Workers are chiefly produced in the earlier part of the season, males and 

 perfect females in the latter part of it. The females are much less prolific 

 than those of Honey Bees, and seemingly as a kind of provision for this 

 deprivation, they, unlike the Honey Bees, live in the same community 

 without seeking to destroy one another, provided they belong to the same 

 colony or nest. 



