CLASSIFICATION OF THE BEES. 57 



Table of Genera. 

 Thorax rather densely pubescent ; mandibles broad, without teeth, the apex 

 broad and blunt; stigma in front wings lanceolate. 

 Abdomen not small, convex above, the venter rounded, not carinate. with a 



distinct scopa Mel i pona Illiger. 



Thorax and abdomen bare or almost bare; mandibles broad, but with teeth, or 

 at least with one or two small teeth at inner apical angles ; stigma in 

 front wings suhovate or ovate-lanceolate. 



Abdomen small, short, triangular, carinate beneath Trigona Jurine. 



Abdomen elongate, almost quadrangular, the dorsum forming an obtuse angle. 



Tetragona Seville et. Lepel. 



Subfamily II. Apix.k. 

 (The Hive or true Honey-bees). 



To this family belong the true honey-bees, the hive bee and the 

 various domesticated bees of different countries — the Italian bee, 

 the Egyptian bee, the bee of India, etc. They differ in several 

 ways from the Meliponinse ; the 9 an d $ always possess a sting, 

 the eyes are hairy and do not quite extend to the base of the mandi- 

 bles, while the front wings have three distinct cubital cells, and the 

 marginal cell is long and always closed and rounded at apex, quite 

 different from that of the Meliponinse. They also differ in having 

 cleft, not simple, claws. 



This family is represented by a single genus, Apis Linne, readily 

 recognized by the characters given in my table of subfamilies. 



Family II. BOMBID^E. 



(The Bumble or Humble Bees). 



The bees belonging to this family comprise median to large sized 

 robust bees, clothed with a dense, more or less velvety-like pubes- 

 cence, and known to us under the name of bumble or humble bees. 

 In their habits they agree with the Apidse, being social and living 

 in large communities, each species being composed of three kinds 

 of individuals — males, females and workers, the latter being some 

 times called neuters or nurses 



Only a single genus is known, distinguished as follows: 



9 and $ with the posterior tibise dorsally depressed, polished and furnished 

 with corbieulse, posterior tarsi with the first joint angulated above 

 forming a forcipate hook externally. 



% with the posterior tibise above more or less shining, somewhat concave; geni- 

 talia, squama and lacinia corneous. Bombtis Fabr. 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXVI. (8) JUNE. 1899. 



