86 J. C. Douglas — The Hive- Bees indigenous to India [No. 1, 



My observations and experiments have been continued since Nov- 

 ember 1882, and a number of gentlemen interested in the subject have 

 pursued the enquiry during these years, made observations on wild bees, 

 or collected and supplied me with specimens ; the objects of this enquiry 

 being to ascertain the habits, structure, affinities, and economic value of 

 the several indigenous species and varieties. Several gentlemen had kept 

 Ajjis indica in the hills. Mr. F. Todd of Landour sent to the exhibition 

 specimens of super and extracted honey so obtained. Mr. Hunter of 

 Landour has also kept this bee, and supplied me with valuable information. 

 I have kept hives of Apis indica in Calcutta and taken many nests. Mr. 

 Stocks of Berhampore, Bengal, has several hives of this bee : being more 

 favourably situated than myself he has been much more successful than I 

 in filling his hives, and his bees were evidently preparing to swarm late in 

 December, a wide departure from the usual swarming time when not hived. 

 Capt. R. Fenton, B.S. C, kept the Bhootan bee in Bhootan, and sent several 

 stocks to Calcutta. I kept this bee in Calcutta for two years and had one 

 hive swarm naturally. The Rev. A. Bunker of Toungoo had recently 

 8 hives of the variety of A. indica indigenous to that place : he was very 

 successful in filling his hives, but ultimately lost most of his stocks from 

 moth. Mr. Bunker and myself have had A. dorsata under observation, 

 Mr. Bunker has hived it, and two experienced bee-masters from 

 Germany have also hived it independently ; but all attempts at hiving it 

 permanently have been unsuccessful, Many combs of A. dorsata have 

 been searched by me, and at my request, for drone-cells, but in every case 

 the comb was found uniform throughout in the size of the cells. I have 

 taken nests of A.florea and had this bee under observation. Mr. A. 

 Bunker has hived it. It will be seen from the above that a series 

 of laborious experiments and a large number of observations have been 

 made extending over more than three years ; and, besides the operations 

 detailed, many persons have sent specimens and given information of 

 great value. 



Apis indica. — Found all over India, in the plains and on the hills ; 

 kept by natives in rude hives, most in the hills, but also in the plains ; 

 kept near Calcutta by villagers, who insert earthen vessels in the walls 

 of their houses to serve as hives and destroy the bees periodically. 

 Nests of this bee common in Calcutta. This bee differs in colour, being 

 lighter in the plains than in the hills ; it appears constant in size of body 

 and of its cells all over India, in such different climates as those of Chumba, 

 Landour, the Khassia Hills, and Lower Bengal ; in habits it corresponds to 

 A. mellifica, its stocks are much lighter than those of A. mellijica, but may 

 be greatly improved by cultivation ; and it is exceedingly liable to be 

 attacked by moth. Most nests examined contained moth, and several were 



