40 MANUAL OP THE APIAEY. 



Italian bee, the Apis fascial a of Latreille, or Egyptian bee, 

 are only varieties of the Apis mellifica, which also includes 

 the German or black bee. 



Mr. F. Smith, an able entomologist, considers Apis dorsata 

 of India and the East Indies, Apis zonata of the same islands, 

 Apis Indica of India and China, and Apis florea of India, 

 Ceylon, China and Borneo, as distinct species. He thinks, 

 also, that Apis Adansoni and Apis nigrocincta are distinct, but 

 thinks they may be varieties of Apis Indica. Some regard. 

 Apis unicolor as a distinct specie^ but it is probably a variety 

 of Apis dorsata. As Apis mellifica has not been found in 

 India, and is a native of Europe, Western Asia and Africa, it 

 seems quite probable that several of the "above may turn out 

 to be only varieties of Apis mellifica. If there are only color 

 and size to distinguish them, and, indeed, one may add habits, 

 then we may suspect, with i good reason, the validity of the 

 above arrangement. If there is structural difierence, as Mr. 

 Wallace says there is, in the male dorsata, then we may call 

 them different species. The Italian certainly has a longer 

 tongue than the German, yet that is not sufficient to separate 

 them as species. Apis zonata and Apis unicolor, both of the 

 East Indies are said to be very black. Apis dorsata is large, 

 suspends its combs to the branches of trees — in rare cases our 

 own bees have been known to do the same — is said to be cross, 

 to have a very long tongue, to be larger than our common bee, 

 and to make larger cells.* 



Apis florea is small, only half as large as Apis mellifica, of 

 different form, while the posterior tarsus of the male is lobed. 



It would be very -interesting, and perhaps profitable, to im- 

 port these various species, and see how marked is the differ- 

 ence between them and ours. Such work can be best abcom- 

 plished through our National Association. Very likely, as 

 we come to know these far-off bees as we know the German 

 and Italian, we shall find that their amiability, size, habits of 

 comb-building, >nd lengthened organs, are only peculiarities 

 developed by climate and surrounding conditions, and shall 

 sweep them all into the one species. Apis mellifica, to be re- 

 garded as we now regard the Italian and Egyptian, as only 

 varieties. 



It seems strange that the genus Apis should not have been 



*A8 Mr. Frank Benton Is now en route to Import these bees Into America, we 

 shaU soon know of their peculiarities, and can better Judge of their merits. 



