44 THE bee-keei'Ek's guide; 



others of the Andrenidae of some authors, have short, flat 

 tongues, with equi-jointed labial palpi. These bees have been 

 little studied, and there are very numerous undescribed species. 



I reluctantly withhold further particulars of this wonder- 

 ful bee-family. When first I visited Messrs. Townley and 

 Davis, of Michig-an, I was struck with the fine collection of 

 wild-bees which each had made. Yet, unknowingly, they had 

 incorporated many that were not bees. Of course, many api- 

 arists will wish to make such collections, and also to study our 

 wild bees. I hope the above will prove both a stimulus and 

 aid. I hope, too, that it will stimulate others, especially youth, 

 to the valuable and intensely interesting study of these won- 

 ders of nature. I am glad to open to the reader a page from 

 the book of nature so replete with attractions as is the above. 

 Nor do I think I have taken too much space in revealing the 

 strange and marvelous instincts, and wonderfully varied habits, 

 of this brightest of insect families, at the head of which stand 

 our own fellow-laborers and companions of tlie apiary. 



I shall be very glad to receive specimens of wild bees from 

 every State in our country. To send bees or other insects, 

 kill with gasoline or chloroform, wrap with cotton or tissue 

 paper, so as to prevent injury, and mail in a strong box. 



The genus of the honey-bbe. 



The genus Apis includes all bees that have no tibial spurs 

 on the posterior legs, and at the same time have three cubital 

 or sub-costal cells (6, 7, 8, Fig. 2) — the second row from the 

 costal or anterior edge — on the front or primary wings. The 

 marginal cell (Fig. 2, 5) is very long. On the inner side of the 

 posterior basal tarsus, opposite the pollen-baskets, in the 

 neuters or workers, are rows of hairs (Fig. 71), which are used 

 in collecting pollen. In the males, which do no work except 

 to fertilize the queens, the large compound eyes meet above, 

 crowding the simple eyes below (Fig. 3), while in the workers 

 (Fig. 4) and queens these simple eyes (called ocelli) are above, 

 and the compound eyes wide apart. The compound eyes are 

 in all cases hairy (Figs. 3, 4). The drones and queens have 

 weak jaws, with a rudimentary tooth (Fig. 65, a b), short 



