THE SYRIAN BEE. 29 D 



Smoke astonishes but does not subdue them. At each puff 

 of the smoker they emit a sharp, trilling sound, not easily 

 forgotten, resembling that of "meat in the frying pan," and as 

 soon as the smoke disappears, they are again on the watch, 

 ready to pounce on any enemy, whether man or beast, bee 

 or moth. Their courage and great prolificness would make 

 them a very desirable race, if they could be handled safely. 



A slight mixture of this race with the Italian improves the 

 latter wonderfully in color and working qualities. 



560. The Holy Land or Syrian bees are almost similar 

 in looks to the Egyptian, these two countries being contigu- 

 ous. Those who have tried them do not agree as to their 

 behavior; some holding them to be very peaceable, others 

 describing them as very cross. We have never tried them. 



Among the different races of Eastern bees, the Caucasian 

 are cited by Vogel, a German, as of such mild disposition, 

 that it is hard to get them to sting. Yet it is said that these 

 bees defend themselves well against robber bees. This is con- 

 firmed by Mr. Benton, who has imported them into the U. S. 

 under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture. 



According to Vogel, they resemble the Syrian bees, having 

 also the shield of the Cyprians. It would seem that these 

 bees exist in the temperate zone of Asia, from the shores of 

 the Mediterranean to the Himalayas, for Dr. Dubini, in his 

 book, writes that they were found at the foot of these moun- 

 tains.* 



561. According to an article in the "Scientific Review" 

 of England, although bees have been sent from this country 

 and Europe, to Australia, there is an Australian native bee, 

 which builds its nest on the Eucalyptus. These bees gather 

 immense quantities of a kind of honey which, although very 

 sweet, can be used as medicine, to replace the cod-liver oil, 

 used with so much repugnance by consumptives. 



* Some apiarists assert that there are two varieties of this bee, which 

 they name Apis caucasia aurea and Apis nigra argentea. So it would 

 seem from the quotation of a catalog of a Russian apiarist and queen 

 breeder mentioned by Giraud FrSres in A. B. J. of February 1st, 1906. 



