108 
hkewise, as a further test of the principle, the Carnio-Caucasian 
type. We may confidently expect excellent combinations from the 
crossing of females of either of these prolific races (the Carniolan and 
Cyprian) with males of the extremely gentle Caucasian race. The 
mating of the Cyprian with the Caucasian particularly will, it is 
believed, produce a type even gentler than mating Cyprian with 
Carniolan; while in mating a Carniolan queen to a Caucasian drone 
bees will be produced that, while exceedingly gentle, will, I feel confi- 
dent, be well adapted to the production of comb honey of high grade. 
It is proposed, in the future work of the United States Department 
of Agriculture along this line, to carry forward, in an apiary which 
the Department has recently acquired, further investigations and 
breeding of various races of bees now in this country; and also to 
extend the work so as to include an examination, test, dnd possible 
importation of the giant bee of Kast India (J/egapis dorsata) and 
that of the Philippine Islands (d/egupis zonata), as well as the com- 
mon East Indian species (A pis indica), which is now cultivated to a 
limited extent. The first and last mentioned of these bees were quite 
imperfectly investigated by the writer in India in 1881, previous to 
his connection with the Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately, 
a severe attack of jungle fever cut short his work at that time and 
obliged him to leave India at once. 
I look forward with great interest to the possibility—I might say 
the probability—that additional valuable types of honey bees, of 
which we have as yet only vague accounts, will be found in the great 
central Asian area eastward and southeastward from Persia, particu- 
larly in the elevated valleys of the Himalayan Mountains and in the 
plateaus to the north and northeast of the main range. 
4 
Mr. Washburn asked whether the honey bees were chiefly respon- 
sible for the distribution of pear blight. 
Mr. Benton enswered that he believed not, because other insects 
did the same work, and if honey bees were not present the blight 
would be spread quite the same. 
On motion, Mr. F. M. Webster was elected to succeed himself as a 
member of the committee on nomenclature, for three years. 
On motion, it was resolved that the next meeting be held in conjunc- 
tion with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
the exact date to be left to the executive committee. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
H. E. Summers, Secretary. 
