446 INSECTA. 



one, even in this island. They have so many characters peculiar to 

 them, both in their outward parts, internal structure, and economy, 

 that they admit readily of being formed into one distinct tribe. Yet 

 some of their parts are not peculiar to them, and those that be so are not 

 exactly similar in all. 



They would seem to admit of being divided into two genera ; one, 

 which I would term ' bee ;' and the other, which includes the hornet 

 and wasp. All of the bee proper, as far as I know, have hair on then- 

 scales, more or less ; but what I call the second genus have none. 



The bee appears to be the most numerous genus ; although there are 

 many which come in with the hornet or wasp. Some species are more 

 numerous [in individuals] than others ; and this arises from some being 

 assisted immediately by their first offspring; whilst those that are 

 obliged to do the whole work, through the whole season, can have but 

 few in comparison. The number of eggs in the ovaria corresponds 

 with this difference. The common bee in the one genus, and the 

 common wasp in the other, are the most numerous [in individuals]. 



The food, perhaps, makes the great distinction between the two ; in 

 the one being sugar or honey, in the other both flesh and fruit ; and this 

 requires a difference in the apparatus for procuring it. The first [bee- 

 genus] has a proboscis of some length for extracting the honey from 

 flowers ; which, when not employed, is folded upon itself so closely as 

 not to project ; and this gives free use to the pincers or forceps [mandi- 

 bles]. This folding I should imagine to be performed by muscles; 

 because, when the bee is in the chrysalis state, its proboscis is not 

 folded upon itself ; and, when a bee dies, it is always extended : there- 

 fore it is not folded by any mere elastic power. 



The wasp-genus has no such proboscis. I believe the young in each 

 genus are fed much in the same way, viz. by vegetable food, as in the 

 bee ; by mixed food, as in the common wasp and hornet ; and by wholly 

 animal food, as in some uncommon wasps. 



The ovaria of the female, and the parts of generation in the male, 

 are different in the two genera. 



The economy of this tribe is with some difficulty followed, and with 

 more in some species than others. When we consider that most of 

 them are not seen, or known to exist but from reasoning, for one half 

 of the year, there becomes a blank in their history ; and those that are 

 under observation all the year round, are so numerous, that one indi- 

 vidual is not to be easily traced. 



Their structure we may suppose is well adapted to perform the 

 various offices in their economy ; but we would not, a priori, from this 

 structure affirm that they were fitted for a greater variety of actions 



