( 149 ) 



XI. Notes on two Australian species of Trigona. 

 By Hakold J. HocKiNGS. 



[Read August 1st, 1883.] 



Of these stingless bees of Australia two varieties only 

 have come under my immediate observation, but I believe 

 there are several others both here (Queensland) and in 

 the Southern Colonies, some of which differ but little from 

 those described below. 



"Karbi" or " Keelar " and " Kootchar " are the 

 names given to them by the natives. The first species 

 may be identical with Trigona carhonaria, Smith : it 

 forms a very dark wax, almost black, and the propolis 

 it uses is also very dark. It is nearlj^ three-sixteenths 

 of an inch in length, of a generally black colour, except 

 that the front of the head or face and the sides of the 

 thorax are covered with minute silvery hairs, which give 

 those parts a whitish appearance, even when viewed at 

 some distance, and the abdomen, which in its normal 

 state is nearly circular, when viewed from above, is 

 exceedingly black, and gradually discloses reddish rings 

 at the edges of the segments as it becomes distended 

 with honey. The queen, ^hen fully developed, is usually 

 one and a half to twice the length of the worker : when 

 the ovary has not developed, the abdomen is nearly fiat ; 

 both it and the legs and antennae are a dirty brown, the 

 head and thorax being black, but as she matures the 

 abdomen increases to about three times its previous size, 

 and developes five distinct rings ; it, however, always 

 retains its original downward curve. I have not yet 

 observed drones of this variety, probably on account of 

 their differing but slightly from the workers. 



The second species ("Kootchar") is also black in 

 colour, but has a fine yellow streak across the upper 

 part of the thorax just behind the butts of the wings,* 



* This yellow mark is generally extended around the front of the 

 thorax by a line of dots. 



