42 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



1805, who gave the name Ligurian bee, which name prevails 

 in Europe. The name comes from a province of Northern 

 Italy, north of the Ligurian G-ulf, or Gulf of Grenoa. This 

 region is shut off from Northern Europe by the Alps, and 

 thus these bees were kept apart from the German bees, and 

 in warmer, more genial Italy, was developed a distinct race, 

 our beautiful Italians. 



In 1843, Von Baldenstein procured a colony of these bees, 

 which he had previously observed as peculiar, while stationed 

 as a military captain in Italy. He published his experience 

 in 1848, which was read by Dzierzon, who became inter- 

 ested, and through him the Italian became generally intro- 

 duced into Germany. In 1859, six years after Dzierzon's first 

 importation, the Italian variety was introduced into England 

 by Neighbour, the author of the valuable treatise already re- 

 ferred to. The same year, Messrs Wagner and Colvin imported 

 the Italians from Dzierzon's apiary into America ; and in 

 1860, Mr. S. P. Parsons brought the first colonies that were 

 imported direct from Italy. 



The Italian worker (see frontis-piece) is quickly distin- 

 guished by the bright-yellow rings at the base of the abdo- 

 men. If the colony is pure, every bee will show three of 

 these golden girdles. The two first segments or rings of the 

 abdomen, except at their posterior border, and also the base 

 or anterior border of the third, will be of this orange-yellow 

 hue. The rest of the back or dorsal surface will be much as 

 in the German race. Underneath, the abdomen, except for a 

 greater or less distance at the tip, will also be yellow, while 

 the same color appears more or less strongly marked on the 

 legs. The workers, too, have longer ligulae or tongues (Fig. 

 20) than do the German race, and their tongues are also a 

 little more hairy. They are also more active, and less inclined 

 to sting. The queen has the entire base of her abdomen, 

 and sometimes nearly the whole of it, orange yellow. The 

 variation as to amount of color in the queens, is 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, too, are quite variable. Sometimes the rings- 

 and patches of yellow will be very prominent, then, again^ 



