17 
Carniolans are’ much larger bodied and somewhat lighter gray in 
color than the Caucasians, but show likewise in many instances one or 
two rusty or dark-red bands. Their great hardiness and excellent 
wing power enable them to fly freely in much cooler weather than 
some other races stand, and to regain their hive entrances under adverse 
conditions. They are prolific, active, and good honey gatherers, pro- 
ducing combs of snowy whiteness. As in the case of the Caucasians, 
their prolificness causes them to fill small hives to overflowing with bees, 
and this naturally results in numerous swarms. It is therefore advis- 
able to use hives containing ten to twelve frames in the brood chamber. 
The nature of the Carniolans is essentially a quiet one, so that upon 
the approach of cold weather they settle down in a very compact and 
extremely quiet cluster, a condition which contributes in no small 
degree to their excellent wintering qualities. The drones are the 
largest of all drones of this species, and are covered with a thick coat 
of gray fuzz. The queens vary from a light color to a very dark 
leather color, the typical queen being, however, dark bronze, large, 
well rounded, strong, and active. 
Italians, the first of the foreign races to be introduced into this 
country, are much more widely known, and have with reason found 
great favor, since they are industrious, good defenders of their hives, 
and excellent honey gatherers, as well as handsome in appearance, 
being usually evenly marked with three yellow bands across the 
anterior portion of the abdomen. The blood has become so dissemi- 
nated through the apiaries of the country that many hybrid bees 
having but one to two yellow bands are counted as Italians, and their 
cross disposition, derived through the males of the common race, is 
charged to the Italians. Strains of Italians pure in blood have been 
bred. by selection in this country until the three yellow bands have 
become so wide as to be nearly or quite joined, and in some instances 
nearly the whole abdomen is yellow. In general, however, as regards 
gathering powers it does not seem that any improvement has been 
made by this selection, the dark or leather-colored Italians proving, 
all in all, more vigorous, gentle, and better honey gatherers, while as 
regards wintering they are also superior. It must be acknowledged, 
however, that the Italian race is slightly inferior in wintering qualities 
to all of the others which have been generally introduced into America. 
Cyprians, from the island of Cyprus, may be taken as a general type 
with which to compare other eastern races. They are small bodied, 
more slender, in fact, than any of the European races of bees. The 
abdomen is more pointed and shows, when the bees are purely bred, 
three light-colored bands on the upper surface, and considerable yel 
low on the under side. Between the wing attachments on the thorax 
59 
8886—No. 59—05——3 
