§ VI.] OTHER FOREIGN VARIETIES. 47 



a queen of the first year. " Undoubtedly," says Von 

 Berlepsch, " this is by far the worst kind of bee existing 

 in Germany." 



4. Greek or Cecropian Bees. — In some particulars 

 these are like a cross between the Italian and common 

 bees. The queen is dark bronze on the abdomen as far 

 as the second scale, but the common colour above. 

 Most of the workers have a ring and a half of bronze 

 or a reddish rust-colour ; some have two entire rings of 

 this hue. They are stated to be more industrious and 

 productive than common bees, and the drones to be 

 smaller. 



This and the two previous varieties we thus briefly 

 notice on the basis of the remarks of Von Berlepsch. 

 We are not aware that either of them has been intro- 

 duced into this country, nor do they appear to have 

 attained much success in Germany. ' Thus humorously 

 does our author dismiss this last : " Since 1864, when 

 Deumer sounded his trumpet with distended cheeks, we 

 have heard not so much as a last dying speech from the 

 Cecropian bee, and she seems already in Germany to 

 have gone the way of all flesh. May 'the earth lie 

 lightly on her ! " 



5 and 6. Cyprian and Smyrn^an Bees. — "A Coun- 

 try Doctor" writes in the British Bee 'journal that 

 he had prepared a translation from the Bienenzeitung of 

 an article by Herr Corri, in which he speaks most highly 

 of the good qualities of the Cyprian bees, and considers 



