108 



likewise, as a further test of the principle, the Carnio-Caiicasian 

 type. We may confidently expect excellent combinations from the 

 crossing of females of either of these prolific races (the Carniolan and 

 Cyprian) with males of the extremely gentle Caucasian race. The 

 mating of the Cyprian with the Caucasian j^articularly will, it is 

 believed, produce a type even gentler than mating Cyprian with 

 Carniolan; Avhile in mating a Carniolan queen to a Caucasian drone 

 bees will be produced that, while exceedingly gentle, will, I feel confi- 

 dent, be well adapted to the production of comb honey of high grade. 



It is proposed, in the future work of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture along this line, to carry forward, in an apiary which 

 the Department has recently acquired, further investigations and 

 breeding of various races of bees now in this country; and also to 

 extend the w^ork so as to include an examination, test, and possible 

 importation of the giant bee of East India {Megapis dorsata) and 

 that of the Philippine Islands {Megapis zonata)^ as well as the com- 

 mon East Indian species {Apis indica), which is now cultivated to a 

 limited extent. The first and last mentioned of these bees were quite 

 imperfectly investigated by the writer in India in 1881, previous to 

 his connection with the Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately, 

 a severe attack of jungle fever cut short his work at that time and 

 obliged him to leave India at once. 



I look forward with great interest to the possibility — I might say 

 the probability — that additional valuable types of honey bees, of 

 which Ave have as yet only vague accounts, will be found in the great 

 central Asian area eastward and southeastward from Persia, particu- 

 larly in the elevated valleys of the Himalayan Mountains and in the 

 plateaus to the north and northeast of the main range. 



Mr. Washburn asked whether the honey bees were chiefly respon- 

 sible for the distribution of pear blight. 



Mr. Benton answered that he believed not, because other insects 

 did the same work, and if honey bees were not present the blight 

 would be spread quite the same. 



On motion, Mr. F. M. Webster was elected to succeed himself as a 

 member of the committee on nomenclature, for three years. 



On motion, it was resolved that the next meeting be held in conjunc- 

 tion with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 the exact date to be left to the executive committee. 



The meeting was then adjourned. 



H. E. Summers, Secretary. 



