HYMENOPTERA 281 



in 1880, and the Otago Society ten hives in 1883 ; but most of those 

 introduced were brought in by private individuals and bee-keepers' 

 associations. Mr Isaac Hopkins of Auckland, formerly Chief Govern- 

 ment Apiarist, tells me: 



There have not been sufficient foreign bees other than Italians cultivated 

 and escaped in New Zealand to make any difference in our wild or vagrant 

 bees. It might be possible to find a pure Italian vagrant colony that had 

 just escaped from some apiary, but not one of the second generation. There 

 are too many "black bees" about, and in a state of nature they breed a 

 tremendous number of drones, while we restrict their breeding. Therefore 

 there is a large preponderance of black drones flying, and in most districts 

 the chances are fifty to one that an Italian queen will meet a black drone. 

 There are plenty of crosses, Black-Italians, about. 



According to Sir Walter Duller, the native kingfisher (Halcyon 

 vagans) is destructive to bees. A farmer at Paraekaretu found that 

 his bees were disappearing, and on killing a kingfisher found its 

 crop full of bees. 



Mr W. W. Smith states that hive-bees occasionally fertilise red 

 \ clover in the shorter flowers of its heads. 



Indigenous plants visited by hive-bees for nectar or pollen 



The following list is compiled partly from data supplied to me 

 by various bee-keepers and partly from my own observation and is 

 probably far from complete. 



Clematis indivisa (Puawhananga), pollen only, and Clematis faetida. 



Ranunculus rivularis, the honey from this flower is more or less poisonous. 



Melicytus ramiflorus (mahoe), Pittospomm tenuifolium (kohuhu or black mapau) 

 and P. eugeniaides (tarata or white mapau), Gay a Lyallii (lace-bark), Aristotelia 

 racemosa (mako-mako), Discaria Toumatou (tumatukuru), Sophora tetraptera (ko- 

 whai), Rubus australis (bush-lawyer or tataramoa), Accena Sanguisorbee (piri-piri), 

 Carpodetus serratus (piripiriwhata or putaputawheta), Leptospermum scoparium 

 (manuka or tea-tree) and L. ericaides : the former is a particular favourite with bees, 

 and produces highly aromatic honey of a rich pinky-brown colour. Metrosideros 

 lucida (rata) ; probably all the species are visited by bees, for all are nectar-producing, 

 but this is the only one I have received a record of. Myrtus bullata (ramarama), 

 M. pedunculata, M. obcordata (rohutu), Fuchsia excorticata (kotukutuku) ; all bee- 

 keepers who live near the bush report this species. Aciphylla squarrosa (spear-grass, 

 taramea or kurikuri), Panax arbor eum (whauwhaupaku), especially on the male 

 flowers, Griselinia lucida (puka) and G. littorahs (broad-leaf, kapuka or papaumu). 

 Celmisia coriacea, and on many other species bees have been recorded ; also several 

 species of Raoulia, which have not, however, been strictly identified. 



Senecio lagopus, S. bellidioides and probably most of the shrubby species. 



Brachyglottis repanda (pukapuka or wharangitawhito) and B. Rangiora (rangiora). 

 Both these species are especially blamed for producing poisonous honey. In October, 

 1906, six Maoris at Rewiti, near Helensville, were poisoned (though all ultimately 

 recovered) by eating honey which contained large quantities of pollen grains of 

 two species, viz., manuka and pukapuka. There was no doubt whatever in the minds 

 of those who investigated it that the poison was due to the Brachyglottis. The plants 

 are known to be poisonous. A settler near Rotorua died from eating this honey 

 in 1917. 



Parsonsia heterophylla (kaiku or kaiwhiria) and P. capsularis (aka-kiore), Con- 

 volvulus tuguriorum, probably for pollen; Veronica salicifolia, V. Traversii, V. soli- 



