loo 



tHE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD* 



wax aod piopoiis, but by the turning in of the upper part of the cell. 

 Then again, in contrast to Apis viellifica, the stiugless bees destroy the 

 cells after the imagines have hatched out, the ruins of thecelis being placed 

 on a rubbish heap, although they may be used for some other purpose. 

 The mass of refuse is only removed by degrees when the heap becomes too 

 large to remain. The honey cells undergo a similar fate, for they are 

 pulled down when empty and built up again. Miiller suggests the 

 presence of fungi as an explanation of this peculiar, and apparently 

 unnecessary, procedure. The increase of stocks is obtained artificially 

 by the natives. 



There is a great difi'erence between the various species in — (1) 

 Character. (2) Size. (8) Scent. (4) Mode of flight. (5) Build of nest. 

 Some are easily awed and frightened, others are exceedingly vicious, 

 and never say " die." The latter attack larger bees and wasps, killmg 

 them by biting them in two. When they are attacked, or attack man, 

 they emit a strange and obnoxious scent, producing often sickness 

 and even giddiness. Some are bad thieves and steal the gathered 

 pollen, or propolis, from one another, even ofl" their opponent's legs. 

 As regards the bite, which can be very severe, a burnmg and throb- 

 bing sensation commences after some hours, and next day a blister, 

 surrounded by a darkened line, appears, the latter remaining often 

 for weeks, in the case of the bite of Trit/ona flavcolu. Smoke will not 

 pacify them, but being placed for several hours in a cold cellar will 

 often have the desired eliect. The habits of the bees we have been 

 discussing refer to those of various species of wild bees of North and 

 South America, which are indigenous to these countries, whereas Aph 

 mellifica is not. The latter has, however, to some extent, displaced the 

 stingless bees, and has maintained itself wherever it has been intro- 

 duced, especially in civilised countries. It has not only done this, 

 .but it has yielded to the beekeeper and others rich harvests of honey, 

 and has increased to no small degree the character of the flora of 

 those parts. Living in many cases in America in a wild state, side 

 by side with the native bees, A}>is meUifica is said by Drory to be 

 afraid of Tri(f<ma but to live peaceably with MeUpona. The honey of 

 the latter bees is also vastly inferior to that of the honey-bee, and it is 

 a question of some importance as to how honey keeps without formic 

 acid. Doubtless the wax, which is not, as in the case of Apis nielli fica, 

 secreted by the ventral plates, but dorsally, is not nearly so good or 

 useful as ordinary bees-wax ; this is shown by the fact that Apis 

 meliijica is cultivated by the priests for the purpose of getting bees- 

 wax. 



I feel sure that if the reader has followed me carefully he cannot 

 fail to sec tliat domestication under these circumstances is quite out 

 of the question. I believe that we have shown that the beekeeper 

 cannot benefit to any extent, financially or otherwise, by keeping the 

 stingless bees, but that, on the contrary, better results can be obtained 

 by cultivating Api>i wdlifica, and keeping up a high standard and 

 healthy race, and this ought to be our aim. 



Genera of the Humorphid and Daphnid Sphingids. 



B>- .1. \V. TUTT, F.E.S. 

 in continuation of my previous notes {antea, pp. 75-76) on this 

 subject, I now offer (thanks to Mr. Kaye) the descnpLions of three 



