Oyprian and Syrian Bees. 37 



quite striking. Sometimes very dark queens are imported 

 right from the Ligurian hills, yet all the workers will wear the 

 badge of purity — the three golden bands. 



The drones are quite variable. Sometimes the rings and 

 patches of yellow wUl be very prominent, then, again, quite 

 indistinct. But the under side of the body is always, so far 

 aa I have observed, mainly vellow. 



A variety of our Italian "bees which has the rows of white 

 hairs (Fig. 6, J. K, L, M) unusually distinct is being sold in 

 the United States under the name of Albinos. They are not 

 a distinct race. In fact, I have often noticed among Italians 

 the so-called Albinos. 



THE SYEIAN ANB CYPEIAN RACES. 



Through the enterprise of Messrs. D. A. Jones and Frank 

 Benton, we now have these races in our country, and have 

 proved the truth of the assertion of noted European apiarists, 

 that the Cyprian is a distinct race of bees. 



Mr. Benton, than whom no one is better fitted to express a 

 correct opinion, thinks that the Cyprian bees are the offspring 

 of the Syrian. This opinion is strengthened by the close 

 resemblance of the three races, and by the fact that migrations 

 of all kinds have gone westward. A similar argument would 

 make itpresumable that the Cyprians gave rise to the Italians. 



The Cyprian bees resemble the Italians very closely. They 

 may be distinguished by the bright leather-colored lunule which 

 tips their thorax posteriorly, and by the fact that the under 

 side of their bodies is yeUow to the tip. They are more active 

 than are the Italians, and the queens are more prolific. 



The good qualities of the Italians seem all to be exaggerated 

 in the Cyprians, except the trait of amiabUity. The Cyprian 

 bees are second only to the Egyptian in irritability. That 

 they wUl become less cross with, handling is to be expected. 



The Syrian bees are a very weU marked race. The Syrian 

 queens are remarkably uniform. Their abdomens above are, 

 like the little A. Indica, beautifully banded with yeUow and 

 black. They are very quick and remarkably prolific. They 

 do not cease laying even when the honey flow ceases. The 

 workers closely resemble those of the Italian race, only that 

 they are more yellow beneath, and when first from the cells, or 

 newly hatched, they are very dark, owing to the fact that the 



