98 THE APIARY ,' OH, 



" A golden hive, on a golden bank. 

 Where golden bees, by alchemical prank. 

 Gather gold instead of honey." 



Poor Hermann himself did not profit by the discovery of the mine. 

 His enthusiasm for the culture of the Alpine bee instead of wafting 

 him to El Dorado appears to have driven him to the prosaic retreat 

 of a debtor's prison. By the latest accounts we learn that — his 

 ardent spirit chafing against his incarceration, — he had made an 

 attempt to escape, and in doing so, feU from the prison walls and 

 broke both legs. We understand that he has since died. 



In the pamphlet referred to, Mr. Hermann gives the following 

 description of what he insists on designating as Apis Helvetica : — 

 "The yellow Italian Alp-bee is a mountain insect; it is found 

 between two mountain chains to the right and left of Lombardy 

 and the Ehetian Alps, and comprises the whole territory of Tessins, 

 Veltlin, and South-Graubunden. It thrives up to the height of 

 4,500 feet above the level of the sea, and appears to prefer the 

 northern clime to the warmer, for in the south of Italy it is not 

 found. The Alps are their native country, therefore they are called 

 Yellow Alp-bee, or tame house bees, in contra distinction to the 

 black European bees, whom we might call common forest bees, 

 and who, on the slightest touch, fly like lightning into your 

 face. (?) 



" As all good and noble things in the world are more scarce 

 than common ones, so there are more common black bees than of 

 the noble yellow race, which latter inhabit only a very small piece 

 of country, while the black ones are at home everywhere in Europe, 

 and even in America." 



Notwithstanding the death of M. Hermann, we shall in future 

 be able to supply all bee-keepers, who may wish to possess stocks 

 of the genuine yellow Alpine bees. 



The Italian varies but little from the common bees in its 

 physical characteristics. The difference in appearance consists in 

 the first rings of the abdomen, except the posterior edge, and 

 the base of the third — being of an orange colour instead of a 

 deep brown. These orange coloured parts are transparent when 

 closely examined with the sun shining on them. The Italian bees 

 are more active than common bees when on the wing. 



During the summers of 1859 and 1860 we had over from the 



