36 77te Italian Bam. 



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 importar 

 tion, the Italian variety was introduced into England by 

 Neighbour, the author of the valuable 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 ringa ai the base of the abdomen- If lie' colony is 



Fig. 6. 



Abdomen of Italian Worker, 



pure, every bee will show three of these golden girdles (Fig. 6, 

 A, B, C). The two first 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 

 distance at the tip, will also be yellow, while the same color 

 appears more or less strongly marked on the legs. The workers 

 have longer ligulse or tongues (Fig. 22, f) than the German 

 race, and their tongues are also a little more hairy. They are 

 also more active, and less inclined to sting. The queen has the 

 entire base of her abdomen, and sometimes nearly the whole 

 of it, orange-yellow. The variation as to amount of color in 



