C4 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BEE. 



specially concerned, our honey-bee is one species 

 called the species ' Mellifica/ because of the honey 

 that it gathers. 



And then of this species of honey-bee there are 

 many, so-called, varieties, such, for instance, as our 

 English bees, and the Italian bees, and the Cyprian 

 bees, and many more. These are varieties of the one 

 species of honey-beeMelliiica, — a specieswhich belongs 

 more especially to Europe and the adjacent countries. 



I think we had better now go over this rather 

 hard lesson again. And if, for example's sake, we 

 take a specimen of the Italian bees, of which there 

 are so many in this coujitry, we may think of it 

 thus : — 



First, it belongs to the insect ' class,' having, with 

 other characters of a true insect, the three distinct 

 parts — head, thorax, and abdomen. 



Secondly, it belongs to the ' order ' of insects 

 called Hymenoptera, because of its four membranous 

 wings. 



Thirdly, it belongs to that ' family ' of the Hy- 

 menoptera which is called Apidae, or the Bee 

 Family. 



Fourthly, it belongs to the ' genus ' Apis, as dis- 

 tinguished from the genus of humble-bees and others. 



Fifthly, it belongs to that ' species ' of the genus 

 Apis, which is called Mellifica, or Honey-bee. 



Sixth, and lastly, it belongs to that ' variety ' of 

 Mellifica, which is called ' Italian,' because of its 

 Italian origin. 



The following diagram will perhaps make it 

 clearer : — 



