ay 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 ITALIA N 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. ABDOMEN OF ITALIAN WORKER ‘BEE. 
ABO, Fig. 3, represent the three yellow semi-transparent 
bands ; D £, and the shaded parts of A B ©, 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 
