RACES OF BEES 



position they are in a class by themselves, 

 as their gentleness is simply marvellous. 

 Again and again I have tried to anger them 

 without success; in fact, I have kicked their 

 hives, shaken their frames, blown my breath 

 on them, and, whereas other races would have 

 attacked me at once, the Caucasians would 

 offer no retaliation. It might be inferred 

 from this that they are not good defenders of 

 their hives; but such is not the case, for there 

 have been times when I have been abusing 

 them, when they would sally forth and fight 

 to the death robber bees that tried to take 

 advantage of their hives being opened out of 

 season, to rob them of their stores. 



They are good winterers, and builders of 

 choice white combs, and not given to exces- 

 sive swarming, but they have an unpleasant 

 habit of plastering balls of propolis, or bee- 

 glue, all over their frames and at the entrances 

 of their hives. 



The main objection to this otherwise most 

 excellent race is the fact that they so closely 



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