APIS, the BEE, a very numerous genus of insects, belonging to the order Hymenoptera, of which no less than 292 species are described in the last edition of the Systema Naturx ; of these 110 are said by Mr Kirby to inhabit England. The precise extent of this genus, how ever, is not yet well ascertained ; for later entomologists have begun to dismember it as fixed by Linnxus, and to adopt certain more minute and specific characters than he has done in characterizing it. IIis definition of the genus Apis is, mouth horny, jaw and lip membra naceous at the tip : tongue inflected ; feelers four un equal, filiform, antenna' short, fiiiform those of the fe male subclavate. Irings flat : sting of the females and neuters pungent, and concealed in the abdomen. Mr Kirby forms two great divisions of this genus, one of which he denominates Melitta, consisting of 111 spe cies, found in England ; and the other, which constitutes the real Apis. The characters forming the most strik ing distinctions of those two genera, he says, are af forded by the tongue, which in the 11Irlitta is short, flattish, usually acute, with a lateral auricle, and not in flected ; hut in the Apis it is elongate, slender, cylin drical, and inflected.
Latreille divides this genus likewise into two great families, which he calls ./Indrenetes and ?piaires. The latter contains the species belonging to the genuine .4pis. He has founded his characters of the bee on its habits, and the organization of those parts adapted to collect the honey, and those appropriated for gathering together, transporting, and elaborating the materials used in its works.
The characters adopted by Fabricius are more dif fuse ; but we shall abstain from treating of them here, because they seem to have met with general disappro bation from the most skilful entomologists.
Some of these insects live in a solitary state, others in large societies, and many of them display wonderful art and instinct, particularly in providing for the pre servation of their young. It is a singular fact, well worthy of observation, that the operations of those liv ing in society seem affected by the extent of their num bers, so that dial- work is not equally well executed by few as when they are more abundant. Under the arti cle BEE, WC shall enter minutely on the properties and peculiarities of the animal so familiar and useful to us, the common honey bee. Although it is truly the more
remarkable, both from existing in such numerous so cieties, and in exhibiting a kind of government, on the welfare of which the general safety depends, yet there are others of the genus hardly less deserving of admi ration, on v. hich we shall here make a few general re marks.
The Rose Cutter, Apis Centuncularis, cuts pieces out of the leaves of the bushes in a circular or elliptical form, as neatly and skilfully as if it were done with the sharpest scissars. It digs a cylindrical hole in the earth, in the bottom of which it rolls up the cuttings into a shape nearly of the same figure, but a little wider at the mouth. The lower end is closed with a circular cutting, and the whole somewhat resembles a long thimble. In this case its egg is deposited, along with a sufficient quantity of paste or pollen to feed the young larva until it attains maturity. The end is then stqpped tip by the insertion of a circular cutting, which is thrust down the case, and one or more cuttings arc added to make it more secure. Frequently there are several such cases in one hole, and then they are in serted a little war into each other ; but the ends of each are carefully stopped up, and all mutual communication between them is excluded. The sides are more than one leaf in thickness. The second covering is applied in such a way, however, that the joining of the edges of the first falls under the middle of the leaf, and the middle of the third covers the edges of the second. The leaves are not agglutinated together ; their figure is in a great measure retained by their elasticity pressing against the sides of the hole or cavity. Reaumur says the hole is eight or ten inches deep We have seen them in Scotland much nearer the surface. After de positing all its eggs, the animal returns the excavated earth ; a necessary precaution to protect both the young and its food from the depredations of other insects. IL is an entertaining spectacle to behold with what ingenu ity and expedition the bee cuts out the exact part of the leaf adapted to its own purpose.