HYMENOPTERA 275 



Another interesting and noteworthy fact is that in their original 

 instructions for shipment of bees the Society particularly asked that 

 Bombus terrestris be sent out, a species in which, according to Miiller, 

 the trunk is too short to reach the bottom of the tube of the flowers 

 of Trifolium pratense. It is certain that this species was among those 

 sent out, and it is still the commonest species in New Zealand. But 

 apparently also specimens of B. ruder atus (variously referred to also 

 as B. subterraneus and B. harrisellus), and B. hortorum were introduced 

 at the same time. For as soon as the insects began to increase, 

 fertilisation of the clover ensued and abundance of seed began to be 

 obtained. I noticed also that previous to 1889 all my species of 

 Primula (primroses, cowslips, etc.), which were growing freely in my 

 garden, failed to produce seed naturally. After humble-bees began 

 to come about, they seeded quite freely. This, too, in spite of the fact 

 that the smaller bees learned to bite the corolla-tubes, and so make 

 holes half-way down, through which they could suck the nectar with- 

 out disturbing either anthers or stigmas. Mr Hopkins refers to the 

 perforation of the tubes of red-clover flowers as being done by both 

 B. terrestris and B. lucorum in Europe, but could find no evidence 

 of its being done in New Zealand. However, in April, 1892, the late 

 Mr John Allan of Taurima (in the Taieri Plain) informed me that 

 he had repeatedly seen small humble-bees, biting the tubes of the 

 red clover; these were, no doubt, small bees produced late in the 

 season, and not full-grown. I have frequently observed humble-bees 

 biting holes in the tubes of Primula, Arbutus, Antirrhinum, Eccremo- 

 carpus, Salvia, Narcissus and Hyacinth. It would seem also that they 

 learn the trick from one another. Thus bulb-growers in one district 

 have told me that all their hyacinth blossoms were destroyed by 

 humble-bees, while in another district at a few miles distance the 

 hyacinths were quite untouched. 



After the bees became thoroughly established in the country, 

 some doubt began to be expressed that the wrong species had been 

 introduced, and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association 

 resolved to import more. On the advice of Lord Avebury, they 

 obtained three shipments from London through the agency of Mr 

 Sladen. Mr Hopkins in his pamphlet says: 



Mr O. B. Pemberton, the secretary of the association, writes in January, 

 1913: "We got out in all three shipments, arriving as follows: 



Arrival Number sent Live Queens 



(1) 24th February, 1906 ... 15 10 



(2) 29th November, 1906 ... 165 71 



(3) 27th December, 1906 ... 145 62 



The Queens we got out were B. lapidarius and B. hortorum. These 



1 8 2 



