BEE MANUAL. 29 



This variety has held undisputed sway in the north and west 

 of Europe for a couple of thousand years at least, and has been 

 the pioneer in culling the sweets of all the countries of the 

 Now World. Wherever Europeans have colonised, there 

 may be found this little insect. It is now being rapidly super- 

 seded by the Italian race, but it has still some faithful admirers, 

 and in more than one respect it is admitted by all to hold the 

 advantage over its Italian rival. I shall compare its qualities 

 with those of the Italian further on. However we may admit 

 the superior beauty, as well as the more useful qualities, of 

 the new races, we cannot avoid feeling a sort of regret for the 

 extinction of our old favourites. 



ITALIAN, OR LIGUEIAN BEE. 



Fig. 2.— ITALIAN ftUEEIf. 



The Italian bee was evidently known to Aristotle and Virgil. 

 The latter writer refers to it in the following lines : — 



" These gaily bright their radiant scales unfold, 

 Spangled with equal spots, and dropped with gold " 



Although known so well to these ancient writers, very little 

 notice appears to have been taken of this variety till quite 

 modern times, when, in the beginning of the present century, 

 the Marquis de Spinola described it as being distinct from the 

 common bee, and gave it the name of " Ligurian," after a pro- 

 vince in Northern Italy, where it was first discovered. This 

 district being very mountainous, and the Alps intervening 

 between it and Northern Europe, it is in a manner isolated, 

 which will no doubt account in some measure for so little 



