The Life of the Bee ■ 



whereto it has had to conform.^ The 

 diiFerence between these various species 

 is scarcely greater than that between an 

 Englishman and a Russian, a Japanese 

 and a European. In these preliminary 

 remarks, therefore, we will confine our- 

 selves to what actually lies within the 

 range of our eyes, refusing the aid of 

 hypothesis, be this never so probable or 

 so imperious. We shall mention no facts 



^ The scientific classification of the domestic bee is 

 as follows : 



Class Insecta 



Order Hymenoptera 



Family Apids 



Genus Apis 



Species Mellifica 



The term "Mellifica" is, that of the Linnaean 

 classification. It is not of the happiest, for all the 

 Apidae, with the exception of certain parasites per- 

 haps, are producers of honey. Scopoli uses the 

 term " Cerifera " ; Reaumur "Domestica"; Geof- 

 froy "Gregaria." The "Apis Ligustica," the 

 Italian bee, is another variety of the ''Mellifica." 



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