478 BEES AND FLOAVERS. 



they extended their ])r()l)()scides aiul (h'uiik in the same way they 

 collect nectar. 



Between these and the I'rosopis there is a long' series in which we 

 may see the instruments for collecting nectar imjjrove step by step. 

 AVith the Xylocopidae, the Anthophoridae, and the Englossidae, we 

 arrive at the Mellif era.. where the social life does not yet exist, bnt 

 where the proboscis e(|uals in perfection, and sometimes even sur- 

 passes, in development that of the connnon bee. Among the Englos- 

 sidae it measures at least one and a half the length of the body. 



The collection of jiollen is effected by appendages which much 

 resemble those of the Halictinae, only the hairs are short and more or 

 less brushdike on the leg as well as on the first joint of the tarsus. 

 These brushes approach those of the honeybee without attaining the 

 same degree of perfection, for the differentiations which make the 



Fig. 7.— The transportation of pollen by tbo Mollifera. (The loads of pollen are indicated l)y 



diagonal lines. ) 



1. Andrcna cUirkelUi. 'i. Ajiis iiiellijii a. -l Megarhilt'. ceittni-icul<iiiif< L. (Among the Mej^achiles, 



the pollen hrilsh is on the ventral surface of the abdomen.) 



basket has not yet taken place, and the double brush and the accom- 

 l)anying wrinkles nnist retain the pollen as well as collect it. 



One step more and we arrive at the honey bee: here the brush on the 

 leg has been replaced by the Inisket and that of the first tarsal joint 

 serves only to collect the pollen dust. The insect no longer waits until 

 he reaches the nest to mix this dust with the honey, but at the moment 

 he collects he makes little balls Avhich he carries in his Itaskt^t. To 

 respond to the exigencies of tlie social life the honey gatherer accumu- 

 lates a reserve and has acciuired a faculty of secreting a waxy matter 

 which allows him to construct cells. TTowever, these aptitudes are by 

 no means equally developed in all the foruis of the grou}); at the foot 

 of the series are the buiubl(>-bees anIio build without skill great ovoid 

 cells where they raise their young and store their reserves. These re- 

 serves are never large and often insufficient to ])rovide for th(> colony 

 during the winter; this being the case, the colonies have a feeble con- 



