BEE MANUAL. 37 



the Italian, and not so slender in shape. It is, in fact, a larger bee — 

 probably the largest domesticated bee. The entire body is of a rich 

 dark brown, almost approaching to black. The golden rings of the 

 Italian are wanting, but each rim of the abdomen is clearly marked by 

 whitish-grey hairs, which render it distinct from any other known 

 race ; and these hairs being longer and brighter than those of the 

 Italian, give the bee a silvery-bright appearance which is very pleasing 

 to the eye. . . . The Carniolan queen is a larger bee, broader in the 

 thorax, and especially in the upper part of the abdomen, than the 

 Italian or black queen." 



HERZEGOVIAN, DALMATIAN, ROUMELIAN, AND HYMETTUS BEES 



Mr. Benton has lately introduced queens under these four 

 names. The three first mentioned would seem to be, like the 

 Cyprians and Syrians, only slight varieties of the sort comprised 

 by Gerstaecker under head No. 3. The Hymettus bee is, how- 

 ever, specially mentioned by him as a slight variety of the 

 German or black bee, and already known by the name of Apis 

 cecropia. This bee has, at all events, the advantage of a classic 

 reputation. Gibbon mentions, on the authority of Geoponica, 

 that " the ancients, or at least the Athenians, believed that all 

 the bees in the world had been propagated from Mount Hy- 

 mettus.'' The qualities of all these four varieties (if they are 

 such) have yet to be tried. Mr. Benton wrote of them in 

 November, 1883 — 



"Of the four races mentioned last, I have only tried practically the 

 Hymettus, or Greek bees (also called Cecropian or Attic bees). They 

 are prolific, good honey-gatherers, quite cross, but can be managed 

 with plenty of smoke. Herzegovian and Dalmatian bees I know by 

 reputation, and am thus safe in calling them superior to common bees 

 and to Italians. Of Roumelian bees I know nothing ; but as I have 

 an opportunity to get some of them next spring, and having reason to 

 hope they may have good qualities, I shall try them." 



OTHER EACES OF BEES. 



There are three sorts of bees mentioned by Dr. Gerstaecker 

 as being " indigenous to India and the adjacent islands," Apis 

 dorsata, A. iniica, and A. sirialis of Fabricius ; all, no doubt, 

 being varieties of the A. mellifica. The Indian Government 

 lately published the results of some inquiries they had insti- 

 tuted concerning the " popular treatment of bees in India," 

 from which it would appear that there are plenty of bees and 



