Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/303

Rh thin in consistence, but of a very agreeable flavour, and gives out a rich aromatic perfume. The wax is coarse, and of a brownish yellow; propolis does not appear to be used. The Mexican Bee is smaller by one-fifth than the European, and exhibits that difference in the anatomical structure of the posterior tarsi, already noticed, (page 290) and also in the cubital cells of the upper wings, which has been thought a sufficient reason for regarding the Mexican species—and indeed the South American species generally—as distinct from that of Europe, and to which has been given the denomination Melipona or Trigona. Many of these species are, as we have seen, described as having no stings, or at least so feeble a weapon as to produce no sensible injury, and from this circumstance they are known in the Spanish Colonies by the name of Angelitos, or little angels. The population of a hive is generally under a 1000. Like their congeners in Europe, they have enemies to guard against; and the Black Ants occasionally put their vigilance and prowess to the proof, sometimes successfully, but more frequently coming off with the worst. One of the community, accordingly, is constantly stationed as a sentinel at the mouth of the hive—keeping her post unrelieved for a whole day; and as the entrance is wide enough only for the admission of one bee at a time, the sentinel has to withdraw into a small cavity formed within the threshold, as often as a bee enters or leaves the hive. Captain Hall remarks