42 The Italian Race. 
* Ligurian or Italian Bee, 
The Italian bee is characterized as a race, not only by 
difference of color, habits, and activity, but also by possess- 
ing a little longer tongue. These bees were first described 
as distinct from the German race by Spinola, in 1805, who 
gave the name Ligurian bee, which name prevails in 
Europe. The name comes from a province of Northern 
Italy, north of the Ligurian Gulf, or Gulf of Genoa. This 
region is shut off from Northern Europe by the Alps, and 
thus these bees were kept apart from the German bees, 
and in warmer, more genial Italy, was developed a dis- 
tinct race, our beautiful Italians. It seems to me quite 
reasonable to suppose from the appearance of the bees, and 
also from the migrations of the human race, that the Ital- 
ian bee is an off-shoot from the Cyprian race. 
In 1843 Von Baldenstein procured a colony of these 
bees, which he had previously observed as peculiar, while, 
stationed as a military captain in Italy. He published his 
experience in 1848, which was read by Dzierzon, who 
became interested, and through him the Italian became 
generally introduced into Germany. In 1859, six years 
after Dzierzon’s first importation, the Italian bee was intro-, 
duced into England by Neighbour, the author of the valu- 
able treatise already referred to. The same year, Messrs. 
Wagner and Colvin imported the Italians from Dzierzon’s 
apiary -into America; and in 1860, Mr. S. P. Parsons 
brought the first colonies that were imported direct from 
Italy. 
The Italian worker is quickly distinguished by the bright 
yellow rings at the base of the abdomen. Perhaps golden 
would be a better term, as these bands are often bright 
orange. If the colony be pure, every bee will show three 
of these golden girdles (Fig. 7, A, B,C). The first two 
segments or rings of the abdomen, except at their posterior 
border, and also the base or anterior border-of the third, 
will be of this orange-yellow hue. The rest of the. back 
or dorsal surface will be much as in the German race. 
Underneath, the abdomen, except for a greater or less dis- 
tance at the tip, will also be yellow, while the same color 
hy 
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