Varieties of the Honey-Bee. 373 



in the males which I could not detect in the other sex; and I 

 should then be able to determine what (however slight they 

 might be) were the distinguishing characters of the females — 

 differences which, under other circumstances, I might probably 

 have regarded as mere marks of variation ; but these would then 

 be recognized as characters of full specific value, such as a de- 

 scription would easily point out. This position would apply 

 admirably to many species in the genera Megachiley Osmia, and 

 Xylocopa : the females in these genera are frequently extremely 

 difficult to separate into species ; but when we become acquainted 

 with each in its entirety, the difficulty is at once removed. The 

 male sex in these genera frequently presents marked differences 

 of form in the legs, at other times in the armature of the head 

 with horns or spines. In the extensive genus Nomada we are 

 frequently compelled to rely for specific distinctions upon dif- 

 ferences in coloration, scarcely any presenting themselves in the 

 structural characters of either sex. 



The remark that '' Houey-Bees really present no distinctive 

 specific characters '* would be perfectly true if applied only to 

 worker Bees; for, with the exception of difference of size and 

 coloration, no other very satisfactory characters are to be found : 

 one species only would be readily separable from the rest — the 

 Apis dorsata, it having a constant distinct difference in the 

 neuration of the anterior wings, and also in the size and position 

 of the ocelli. 



What, then, are the distinctive specific characters in the genus 

 Apis ? These are to be found only in the entirety of the species ; 

 and I am perfectly convinced that attempts to determine what 

 are species, and what are races, by a study of the workers only, 

 must result in the commission of error — little more than dif- 

 ference of size and variety in coloration being the guides for 

 determination. 



Dr. Gerstacker's remark must therefore be understood, in my 

 opinion, as only applicable to the study of the working Bees — 

 by far the least characteristic form of the species. Apis melli- 

 flea appears to be the only species of which Dr. Gerstacker 

 knows the undoubted male ; it is true that he has assigned my 

 species Apis lobata, established upon a solitary specimen in the 

 national collection (and in all probability it is correctly assigned), 

 to the Fabrician Apis florea, having received both in a collection 

 from Ceylon. I myself possess the males of three species, and 

 a fourth is in the British Museum : each of them is distinguished 

 by strongly marked distinctive specific characters; so that no 

 hesitation can possibly be felt about assigning each to a distinct 

 species of Honey-Bee. 



As before observed, I enumerated fifteen species of the genus 



