282 RACES OF BEES. 
Virgil (Georgica, lib. IV., 98) speaks of two kinds as 
flourishing in his time; the better of the two he thus de- 
scribes: 
“ Elucent alia, et fulgore coruscant, 
Ardentes auro, et paribus lita corpora guttis. 
Hec potior soboles; hince celi tempore certo 
Dulcia mella premes.’’ 
‘“¢ The others glitter, and thetr variegated bodies shine like 
drops of sprinkling gold. This better breed! Thanks to 
them, if the weather of the sky is certain, you will have honey 
combsto press.’’ 
This better variety, it will be seen, he characterizes as 
spotted or variegated, and of a beautiful golden color. 
549. The first bee introduced into America, was the 
common bee of Europe, Western Asia, and Western Africa, 
Apis mellifica, usually designated under the name of black, 
or gray bee. Both names are appropriate, since the race 
varies in shade, according to localities. In the greater part 
of Africa, as well as in the European provinces of Turkey, 
the common bees are dark, nearly black. In other places, 
their color is grayish. They vary in size, as well. Accord- 
ing to some French writers, the bees of Holland are small, 
and denominated ‘‘la petite Hollandaise’’ (the little Hol- 
lander); on the other hand, the Carniolan* bees are quite 
large. We have never seen queens as large as some Car- 
niolans which we imported some ten years ago. But, in spite 
of the prolificness and general good reputation of this race, 
we did not attempt to propagate it, owing to the difficulty 
of detecting their mating with the common bees, since they 
are almost alike in color. 
550. Besides the common bee, there are a great many 
varieties. The best known are: Ist, the Ligurian, Apis 
Ligustica, so named by Spinola, because he found it first, in 
Carniola is a province of Austria, near the Adriatic, but on the East slope 
of the mountains. 
