BEES AN' I) I'l.OWKUS. 47V) 



stitiilioii Mild oftcii disappciir altoiictlicr mI (he Mpproadi of llic Icul 

 season. Even the jMclliicni nvv more iiidiisti-ioiis and larsiiililcd than 

 this. The ivscrvi' receptacles of their coniijlicatcd nests in the tropical 

 regions somewhat resemble the cells of the l)iiml)led)ees, hut they are 

 intended simply as mai>azines to hold enough provision to allow tlu^ 

 colony to maintain itself when the flowers cease to hlooni. 'J'hose of 

 the honey bee are very different in chaiacter; they are intended ex- 

 clusively for the subsistence of the youn<>' and consist of a stratum of 

 cylindrical cells cleverly joined. This architecture brings us to that 

 of the bees, properly speaking, Avhich rises to the perfection of sim- 

 plicity and economy of material. Here the cells are all of the same 

 type and are intended for stroage as Avell as for the rearing of the 

 young. They consist of hexagonal prisms separated by conuiion 

 walls, and in each comb is formed two opposite layers separated by a 

 common base. Xo lost space, no materials wasted; these edifices are 

 marvels of construction. 



Among the four sp(H-ies of bees known to us an appreciable dill'er- 

 ence in industry may be noticed; the little Api"^ forea and the great 

 Ap'oi (lorKiita nest in the open air and build onl>' a single comb; the 

 Apis ind'ica constructs i)arallel combs, frecjuently in cavities, but nev- 

 ertheless readily accessible to Teigius and other enemies; finally, 

 our honey bee builds in the same way, but better protects his work by 

 carefully driving away all parasites. 



Thus, from Prosopis to the honeyl)ee, we find a series growing more 

 and more perfect by degrees. These forms, developed in the course of 

 time, recall the various evolutionary stages through whicli the honey 

 bees have passed, and show how these insects un(piestionably adapt 

 themselves to the flowers. The apiarists know that the honeybees 

 are not all equally adapted for nectar gathering, and that certain of 

 them collect more atlvantageously than others with longer tongues; 

 they have even invented a special apparatus, the glossometer, to meas- 

 ure the length of that organ. By rigorous selection these bee keepers 

 hope to hx a form in which the tongue Avill attain its highest develop- 

 ment. They Avill then be in possession of the race best suited to the 

 pursuit of nectar. With their marvelous instincts, how invaluable 

 will be our bees when they can get rid of the very long proboscis of 

 the Euglossidae? 



Here we enter into the domain of hypothesis, but without depart- 

 ing from probability, for the honeybee is an essentially variable 

 creature. Native to Asia," like all the other species of the genus, 

 they are now found all over the world from the equator to the extreme 

 limits of the temperate zones. Our black bee is already very different 



aTliis is true of the Ajtis florca, A. (Jormla. and .1. iiidica, but not so clearly 

 established for tlie ordinary bee. .!/;/•'-• iiiflli/ic(i. 



