318 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEli. 
CHAPTER XIX. 
THE ITALIAN HONEY-BEE. 
Aristotle speaks of three different species of the honey- 
bee, as well known in his time. The beat variety he des- 
cribes as “ fjuxp«, srpoyytlM xai irorxiX>j” that is, small and 
round in size and shape, and variegated in coloi. 
Virgil ( Georgicon , lib. IV., 98) speaks of two kinds as 
flourishing in his time ; the better of the two, he thus 
describes : 
Elucent alios, et fulgore coruscant, 
Ardentes auro, et paribus iita corpora guttis. 
Ha;c potior’soboles ; hinc coeli tempore eerto 
Dulcia mella premcs.” 
The better variety, it will be seen, he characterizes as 
spotted or variegated, and of a beautiful golden coloi . 
The attention of bee-keepers has recently been called to 
this variety of the honey-bee, which, after the lapse of 
more than two thousand years, still exists distinct and 
pure from the common kind. The following letter from 
Mr. Wagner will show the importance attached to this 
species, by some of the most skillful and successful Apia- 
rians in Europe : „ York, Pa . ; August 5 , 18 6. 
ii d ear Sir The first account we have of the Italian 
bees, as a distinct race or variety, is that given by Capt. Balden- 
stein, in the Bienenzeitung, 1848, p. 26.* Being stationed in 
. The Rev. E. W. Oilman, of Bangor Maine, has recently directed my attention 
to Sninola's * Irwectorum Liguria species nova aut rariorc* from which It 
appears, that Splnola accurately described all the peculiarities of this bn^hleh he 
found in Piedmont, InlSOS. lie fully identlfled It with the hoe described by A. 
totle, and calls It the Ligurian Aee, a name now very generally adopted 
Europa 
