816 Disease of Bees in the Isle of Wight, [feb., 



for the most part, together with a variable quantity of a bright yellow 

 substance in amorphous masses (wax) and a large number of bacteria. 

 There is no individual type of pollen grain common to all bees 

 examined." 



I made a large number of dissections, and found that this account 

 accurately described the conditions found in a large proportion of the 

 diseased bees. In such cases Imms further stated that there was an 

 obstruction of the digestive system situated in the rectum itself, and 

 that the muscles of the rectum were tightly contracted, and no pollen 

 was able to pass through. Such a condition I have never found. 

 Further, amongst the apparently diseased specimens, I have not 

 infrequently met with bees in which the colon was empty or only 

 partially distended. 



In order to ascertain whether the distended condition of the colon 

 was peculiar to the disease, I procured a stock of healthy bees for 

 examination at various times and under various conditions, and also 

 made observations on healthy specimens which were sent to me from 

 time to time. As a result of these observations, I found that the 

 condition of the healthy bee's intestine varies greatly. In fact, all 

 the variations in the condition of the alimentary canal met with in the 

 diseased bees can be seen in healthy bees under various conditions. 



Imms contrasts, by means of a diagram, the digestive canal of a 

 healthy and of a diseased bee. The digestive canal of a bee which 

 has been out of the hive and voided its excrement is well represented 

 by Imms' diagram. If the bees be taken from the hive after a few 

 days' bad weather, when they have had no opportunity of leaving the 

 hive, it is found that the colon is distended to quite the same extent 

 as in many diseased bees. On such bees I have conducted a number of 

 careful experiments, with the following results : — 



The weight of the abdomen in the healthy bee varies between 

 0*030 grm. and 0*073 grm., and that of the colon between o'oi2 and 

 °'°54 g" rm - The weight of the abdomen in diseased bees varies between 

 0*03 and o"o6 grm., and that of the colon between 0*009 an d 0*036 grm. 



The contents of the colon, when voided by the healthy bee and 

 deposited on a dry surface, form a dry, brownish mass, similar to that 

 described as occurring on the alighting boards, etc., during the early 

 months of the year in this disease. Bees from the same healthy stock, 

 caught as they returned on a fine day, showed an almost empty colon. 

 Imms seems to have entirely overlooked this natural condition. 



It has been shown (Cheshire, 1896, Vol. II., p. 148) that bees 

 normally discharge the contents of their bowels when on the wing, with 

 the air-sacs fully distended. Cheshire, in fact, goes so far as to say 

 that they are " structurally compelled " to do so. Nevertheless, Cheshire 

 (Vol. II., p. 524) himself later shows that bees may defalcate without 

 actually flying, for he mentions " that, under certain conditions (e.g. : 

 inadequate protection accompanied by continued low temperature), the 

 bees being forced to the before-mentioned vigorous agitation of the 

 abdomen and a gentle flapping of the wings, the bowel becomes loaded 

 beyond endurance, and the bees, too heavy or too chilled to fly, 

 discharge themselves upon the combs, producing a condition which has 

 been incorrectly described as dysenteric." 



In the winter and spring the soiling of the hives, which, as I have 

 mentioned, occurs in this disease, may be brought about in the way 



