Apis Mellifica—German Bees, 4t 
been native to the American continent. The “large brown 
bee” which some of our bee-keepers think native to Amer- 
ica, is undoubtedly but a variety of the common black, or 
German bee. Without doubt there were no bees of this 
genus here till introduced by the Caucasian race. It seems 
more strange, as we find that all the continents and islands 
of the Eastern Hemisphere abound with representatives. 
It is one more illustration of the strange, inextricable puz- 
zles connected with the geographical distribution of animals. 
SPECIES OF OUR HONEY-BEES. 
The bees at present domesticated are all of one species: 
Apis mellifica. The character of this species will appear 
in the next chapter, as we proceed with their anatomy and 
physiology. As before stated, this-species is native exclu- 
sively to the Eastern Hemisphere, though it has been intro- 
duced wherever civilized man has taken up his abode. 
RACES OF THE HONEY-BEE, 
German or Black Bees. 
The German or black bee is the race best known, as 
through all the ages it has been most widely distributed. 
The name German refers to locality, while the name black 
is a misnomer, as the bee is a gray-black. The queen, and, 
in a less degree, the drones, are darker, while the legs. and 
under-surface of the former are brown, or copper colored, 
and of the latter light-gray. The tongue of the black 
worker I have found, by repeated dissections and compari- 
sons made both by myself and by my pupils, is shorter than 
that of the Italian worker, and generally less hairy. The 
black bees have been known no longer than the Italians, 
as we find the latter were known both to Aristotle, the 
fourth century B. C., and to Virgil, the great Roman poet 
who sung of the variegated golden bee, the first century 
B. C.; and we can only account for the wider distribution- 
of the German bee by considering the more vigorous push- 
- ing habits of the Germanic races, who not only over-ran and 
infused life irito Southern Europe, but have vitalized al! 
christendom. 
