282 FOREIGN BEES. 



the continent. Their honey is much inferior to that 

 of Europe, as might be expected from the nature of 

 the vegetation. The honey of the Apis Peronii, 

 however, found in the island of Timor, may be con- 

 sidered an exception to this. For our knowledge of 

 it we are indebted to M. Peron, the intrepid French 

 navigator, who describes it as having a yellowish tinge, 

 more liquid than ours, and of an exquisite flavour. 

 It is called by the natives Bee-sugar. The dis- 

 tinctive characters of the insect itself consist in 

 the two first rings of the abdomen (with the excep- 

 tion of their posterior edges,) the base of the third, 

 and the greater part of the breast, being of a reddish 

 yellow, and the superior wings of a brownish hue. 

 It appears from recent accounts, that in the distant 

 regions of New South Wales and Van Dieman's 

 Land, besides the indigenous insect, the Bee of 

 Europe has obtained a firm footing, and already rivals 

 the prolific race of South Carolina. The following 

 account is from a periodical of extensive circulation 

 and great utility.* 



" The native bee is without a sting, and is not 

 much larger than a common house-fly. It produces 

 abundance of honey and wax, but has not yet been 

 subjected to cultivation ; and from its small size, and 

 its building on very high trees, probably never will 

 be so. The European Bee has been oftener than 

 once introduced into Sydney, but without success ; 

 the swarms having always left the hives for the 

 woods. A hive was carried to Van Dieman's Land, 

 * Loudon's Gardener's Magazine, for Dec. 1835. 



