32 AUSTRALASIAN 



against the attacks of robbers, I cannot acquit them of a pro- 

 pensity to act as robbers themselves. I have found hybrids, at 

 least, as bad as the black bees in this respect. 



MARKINGS OF PURE ITALIAN BEES. 



In describing the markings of pure Italian bees, all writers 

 agree that the workers should have three yellow bands on the 

 abdomen. 



Fig. 3.-ABD0MEN OF ITALIAN WORKER „BEE. 



ABC, Fig. 3, represent the three yellow semi-transparent 

 bands ; D E, and the shaded parts of A B c, are rows of greyish 

 hairs. A strain of Italian bees having these rows of hair 

 unusually developed have been sold in America under the 

 name of Albinos. Now, with some of the worker bees bred 

 from queens which I have imported direct from Italy, although 

 they have the three bands, the first next to the thorax (A, Fig. 3) 

 is so narrow that it cannot be seen unless closely inspected, 

 while others show all three bands plainly. In a personal con- 

 versation with Mr. Fullwood, of Brisbane, on this subject, he 

 told me he had frequently noticed the same difference in the 

 markings of his imported bees. I mention this the more 

 particularly, because some persons, after reading the description 

 of pure Italian bees in other works, where they are stated to 

 be of a bright colour, with the three yellow bands plainly 



