THE ITALIAN BEE. 285 
“*The first three abdominal rings (fig. 95 ) of the worker 
bee are transparent, and vary from a dark straw or golden 
color to the deep yellow of ochre. These rings have a nar- 
row dark edge or border, so that the yellow, which is some- 
times called leather color, constitutes the ground, and is 
seemingly barred over by these black 
edges. This is most distinctly percepti- 
ble when a brood-comb, on which bees 
are densely crowded, is taken out of a 
hive, or when a bee is put on a window. 
When the bee is full of honey these 
rings extend and slide out of one another, 
and the yellow bands show to better 
advantage, especially if the honey eaten 
is of alight color. On the contrary, dur- 
ing a dearth of honey, the rings are 
drawn up, or telescoped in one another, 
and the bee hardly looks like the same 
¥ ‘5 hin, te ABDOMEN OF THE 
insect. This peculiarity has annoyed ma- ITALIAN BEE. 
ny bee-keepers, who imagined theirbeau- rom. I. Root. 
tiful bees had suddenly become hybrids. 
In doubtful cases, as the purity of Italian bees is very 
important, it is well to follow the advice of A. I. Root: ‘If 
you are undecided in regard to your bees’ purity, get some 
of the bees and feed them all the honey they can take; now 
put them on a window, and if the band C (fig. 95) is not 
plainly visible, call them hybrids.’”’ (-‘A. B. C. page 145). 
564. Aside from this test, their tenacity and quietness 
on the comb, while handled (378), are infallible signs of 
purity. We have repeatedly carried a frame of brood cov- 
ered with pure Italian bees, from a hive to the house, and 
passed the comb from hand to hand among visitors, some 
of whom were ladies, without a single bee dropping off, 
or attempting to sting. 
555. The drones (185) and the queens are very irregu- 
Fig. 95. 
