95 
This bee seems to be a distinct species from the common 
black bees, yet so closely allied to them as a class that 
they readily mingle and by coition produce a hybrid 
species, partaking of both the Italian and common kind. 
They appear to be natives of the Alpine regions of 
Switzerland and Northern Italy, being found in no 
other country on the globe, except by importation. 
From the elevated position of the country which they 
inhabited, it was thought that they naturally possessed a 
hardiness and vigor that a colder climate would be likely 
to generate. Their graceful forms, their attractive 
color, and their apparently isolated condition, attracted 
the attention of some amateur apiculturists who, perhaps 
at first, to gratify a love of marvellousness, attempted 
their introduction into the lower countries of Germany. 
It was found that they soon became acclimated and 
stored larger quantities of honey during the honey sea- 
son than the common black bee. This was accounted 
for on the ground that they visited flowers that the 
common bee passed by, and seemed to endure fatigue , 
and a lower temperature of atmosphere with less injury 
than the common kind. These favorable indications 
induced new trials that proved successful. Others, 
stimulated by the prospect of gain, began to introduce 
them into their immediate sections, until half of Europe 
was alive to the subject. By intermediate channels, 
the excitement reached this country, and in 1860 a 
small appropriation of $2,000 was furnished by our 
government to test the feasibility of their introduction 
here. This sum was coupled with the liberality of Mr. 
S. B. Parsons, of Long Island, who undertook the task 
of visiting Europe to make the necessary arrangements 
and superintend the importation into this country. The 
