Apis MeUifica — German Bee. 35 



in the next chapter, as we proceed with their anatomy and 

 physiology. As before stated, this species is native exclusively 

 to the Eastern hemisphere, though it has been introduced 

 wherever civilized man has taken up his abode. 



VAETETIES OF THE HONEY-BEE. 



German or Black Bee, 



The German or black bee is the variety best known, as 

 through aU 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- 

 Burface 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 comparisons 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 pushing habits of the Germanic races, who 

 not only over-ran and infused life into Southern Europe, but 

 have vitalized aU Christendom. 



~ ^ Ligurian or Italian Bee. 



" The Italian bee is characterized as a variety, not only by 

 difference of color, habits, and activity, but also by possessing 

 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 proviace 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 distinct race, our beautiful Italians. 



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 



