]£j AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE- 



by about 3 inches in width. The cells in the comb are extremely 

 small ; there are about 100 to the square inch. 



Apis mellifica. — There are several varieties of A. mellifica, and 

 it is this species, on account of their use to man, that has been in 

 all ages so universally sought for. The black or brown, or, as it 

 is sometimes called, the German bee, is the common well-known 

 hive bee that was introduced into New South Wales by Dr. 

 Wilson, and is now so universally distributed throughout our 

 forests. The Cyprian bee, as its name indicates, is a native of 

 Cyprus. The dorsal segments of the abdomen are a golden yellow. 

 They are very irritable, easily angered by rough handling, and 

 susceptible to the least excitement, nevertheless they are valuable 

 as honey gatherers. The Italian bees (Ligurians) are natives of 

 Italy. They have golden or leather-coloured segments on the three 

 dorsal plates of the abdomen nearest the thorax. Those having 

 the golden markings are chiefly met with in the southern parts 

 of the peninsula, whilst the leather-coloured are inhabitants of the 

 northern districts of the country. They are supposed to be a fixed 

 strain of a cross between the German and the Cyprian bees. Both 

 these varieties readily interbreed and their progeny are always re- 

 productive. Since the Ligurian bee has become fashionable four 

 and even five banded bees are to be met with. The Carniolian 

 bees are natives of Carniola in Austria. The workers are some- 

 what larger than the common black bee, neither is the abdomen 

 so pointed. They differ in colour in having a ring of silvery-hued 

 hair on each dorsal plate. As honey gatherers they probably rank 

 equally with the Italian bees, and the cross between the two varie- 

 ties is said to be superior to> that between the black and Italian. 



The Tunic bee is sometimes named the Punic bee ; they are 

 natives of the northern districts of Africa. They are not so 

 valuable as either of the former as honey-gatherers. The best 

 working variety of A. mellifica is the pure Italian. 



Apis dorsata, A. indica, A. trigona, A. florea, and A. mellifica 

 are species of the genus Apis; but the German, the Cyprian, the 

 Italian, and the Carniolian bees are only varieties of the species 

 Mellifica. Species differ from varieties in that they do not readily 

 interbreed, and where such intercourse takes place the progeny are 

 hybrids or mules, and result in not being reproductive. A species 

 is a conception subordinate to a genus with attributes extending to 

 fewer individuals, whilst a variety is that which varies or differs 

 from others of its kind. 



