466 
SKELTON. 
web was not so strong, nor so carefully constructed as 
the preceding one, it was yet formed with the same 
peculiarities of zig-zag lacings of a thickened tissue 
corresponding to the Saltier position of the Spider’s 
legs. I have since, in the course of my natural 
history researches, met with some three of these 
Spiders (they are rather scarce), and the same pecu- 
liarity prevailed in all. Sloane evidently noticed it, 
but does not seem to have understood its purposes.”* 
STINGLESS BEES. 
Everything relating to the marvellous instincts of 
Bees is so entertaining, that the following extract from 
the Journal of my esteemed friend, Mr. Hill, needs no 
apology. 
November Sth, 1847. — I was exceedingly in- 
terested this afternoon by the sight of two hives of 
indigenous Bees, shown to me by Mr. Garriques at 
Skelton Pen, on the banks of the Rio Cobre. The 
one hive, in the hollow of a Cal abash- tree, had an 
entrance about half an inch wide at midway up the 
trunk, the cavity being supposed to descend some 
four feet down. The other was in a Cordia Cherry- 
tree, and was laid bare by a considerable portion of 
the tree being cut away. The cutting just disclosed 
the uppermost of the brood cells, but nothing of the 
sacklets that contained the honey. I take our bees to 
be similar to, if not the same with, the bee of Mexico, 
a Melipona or Trigonal called by the Spaniards 
AngelitoSj from having no stings. They settled upon 
See his description at p. 196 . vol. ii. 
