204. THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and within this century to Australia. The Spaniards introduced 

 it into Mexico and Central America soon after the conquest of 

 those parts, and later into Cuba, where it has thriven exceedingly 

 well ever since. From this island it was probably first brought to 

 the Southern States of North America, where it became feral as 

 in the Cape Colony and Australia. This shows that a tropical or 

 subtropical, as well as a warm climate, is equally agreeable to 

 this race, and the term " northern" is not specially applicable to 

 it. No doubt it received this name on account of its domestication 

 in somewhat remote times in Germany and England, whence it 

 became known through the literature of these nations. 



The following varieties or geographical sub-races must be dis- 

 tinguished : — 



(a) The " Heath Bee " of Liaieburg. — This variety is found 

 throughout the high moors of Northern Germany, and nowhere 

 else. In colour and size it is identical with the Brown bee, but 

 it is characterised by its strong swarming propensity, which most 

 likely has to a large extent been purposely cultivated to suit the 

 prevailing system of bee-keeping in those parts of the country. 



(b) The " Nether -Austrian " Bee. — This variety seems not to 

 be very widely distributed, and is mainly found to the east and 

 the south of Vienna. It is slightly lighter in colour than the 

 typical race, and the greatest number of them have the first 

 abdominal segment coloured reddish brown, some specimens very 

 markedly so. 



(c) The lt Carniolian" or "Carinthian" Bee. — A widely dis- 

 tributed South European variety, but predominating in the two 

 Austrian provinces after which it is named. It is slightly larger 

 than the Brown bee, with whitish hairs fringing the abdominal 

 segments on their lower margins, which gives it when young 

 a very bright appearance. It is famous as being the mildest- 

 tempered among all the domesticated bees. 



(d) The "Attic" or " Cecropean" Bee, also called " Hymettus" 

 Bee (from Mount Hymettus, near Athens). — It was considered a 

 distinct species by naturalists, and therefore is known as Apis 

 cecropia. Besides the home it is named after, this distinct variety 

 is found all over Greece, and is said to occur in Upper Italy and 

 Spain. It is probably also found in Asia Minor and the islands 

 of its western coast. It is slightly smaller than the Brown bee, 



