32 



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 Kocky Mountains, ragans from Canada to the west, fervidua 

 pemisylconicm and separatas the same, and tcrnarius, the only arctic species found in 

 Canada (according to Cresson), seems to extend also over the North-Eastern, Middle and 

 far Western States. Britain possess 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. mellifica), however, 

 has became 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 fourteen 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 communities so large 

 as Honey Bees, seldom more than two or three hundred occupying one nest, in some 

 species not more tban 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 Irom frost and concealment from enemies — to perpetuate 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. 



Their nests are placed in different situations, some species haviug different habits 

 from others in this respect. Thus oi the English species, B. terrestris makes its nest in 

 holes in the ground, at the depth of a foot or more, floored with leaves and lined with 

 wax, and often entered by a winding passage. Others, as B. lapidarhts, make their 

 waxen nests among stones ; others, as £. muscorum, among moss, which they mix and 

 join with wax. The nests are enlarged as the community increases. In the spring the 

 female or queen bee, haviug awaked from her torpid state, roams about until she finds 

 a suitable place for a nest. On deciding, she immediately colkcts a small amount of 

 pollen mixed with honey, and in this deposits from seven to fourteen eggs, gradually 

 adding to the pollen mass until the first brood is hatched. 



As regards the Bees which I have examined, some were taken at Quebec by me 

 some years ago, and one or two species here. I have to thank Mr. Caulfield for the 

 principal part of the material. 



There are certain differences between the sexes which render it easy to distinguish 

 them. Not to enter too scientifically upon this part of the subject, I give the principal 

 points of difference. 



The females may be known by their large size, and the corbiculae or baskets on the 

 posterior tibife, formed by a fringe of long hairs on each side. 



The workers generally resemble the females very clostly, the oialy observable differ- 

 ence being in the size, and this varies greatly. Tliey mav be found of all sizes from the 

 female downward^;, so that it is impossible to tell the difference in some cases. 



The male is smaller than the female and larger than the generality of the workers. 

 It has one joint more in the antennae and one section more in the abdomen than the 

 female. 



Cresson says a very conspicuous character to distinguish the sexes is this : In the 

 male the inner tooth of the tarsal claws is almost as long as the outer, in the female 

 the inner tooth is quite short compared with the outer. The posterior tibiae are without 

 baskets, bitt have a fringe of hairs on the outer side. 



