[Extracted from the Linnean Society's Journal — ZoOLoax, 

 vol. xvii.] 



Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. — Part X. With a 

 Description of a new Genus of Honey-anfc. By Sir John 

 LrBBOCK, Bart., M.P., D.C.L., LL.T)., T.E.S. 



[Eead November 2, 1882.] 

 (Plate II.) 

 On Bkes. 

 Br. Miiller's Criticisms. — A recent number of ' Kosmos ' con- 

 tains a \ery courteous aud complimentary notice, by Dr. H. 

 Miiller, of my recent book on Ants, Bees, and Wasps, whioli 

 of course, coming from t^o high an authority, is especially grati- 

 fying. Dr. Miiller, however, criticises some of the experiments 

 by which I think I have shown experimentally that bees are 

 attracted by different colors, and that they prefer blue to red, 

 yellow, white, or green. 



He remarks that in order to make the experiment absolutely 

 correct, the seven glasses should have been arranged in every 

 possible order, and that this would give no less than 5040 com- 

 binations. I did not, however, suppose that I bad attained to 

 mathematical accuracy, or shown tiie exact degree of preference ; 

 all I claimed to show was the order of preference ; and I think 

 that as in my experiments the position of the colors was conti- 

 nually being changed, the result in this respect would have been 

 substantially the same. 



Dr. Miiller also observes that when a bee has been accustomed 

 to come to one place for honey, she returns to it, and w ill tend to 

 alight there whatever the color may be ; imd he shows, by the 

 record of his own experiences, that this has a considerable influ- 

 ence. This is so. Of course, however, it applies mainly to bees 

 which had been used for some time, and were accustomed to a 

 particular spot. I was fully alive to this tendency of the bees, 

 and neutralized it to a considerable extent, partly by frequently 

 changing the bee, and partly by moving the glasses. While, 

 however, I admit that it is a factor which has to be taken into 

 consideration, I do not see that it is any argument against my 

 conclusions. The tendency would be to weaken the effect of 

 preference for any particular color, and to equalize the visits to 

 all the glasses. This tendency on the part of the bees was, as 

 my experiments show, overborne by the effect produced upon 

 them by the color. So far from weakening my conclusions, the 



