THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 26, 1860. 
Next season, therefore, I hope to commence with at least seven 
Ligurian stocks. If then blessed with renewed health, 1 trust I 
shall be enabled to realise those expectations whose delayed ful¬ 
filment is now sincerely regretted by— A Devonshire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
p.S. —In reply to “ Rosemary,” I may state that- most pro¬ 
bably the Ligurian species will speedily be merged in the common 
bee, if sufficient precautions are not taken for preserving the 
purity of the breed. 
THE LIGURIAN AND OTHER BEES. 
Your esteemed correspondent, “ A Devonshire Bee-keeper,” 
in your last publication, raises the question, “ Is Apis Ligustica 
really entitled to rank as a distinct species from Apis mellifica , 
or should it not rather be considered merely a variety of the 
samo species ? ” I wish I possessed sufficient scientific entomo¬ 
logical knowledge to reply satisfactorily; but, in the absence of 
more certain information, I will give an abbreviated extract from 
the thirty-fourth volume of the “ Naturalist’s Library,” edited 
by Sir Wm. Jardine, where each distinct species is recognised. 
“ In Eurone,” says the writer, “ we have two distinct species of 
domestic honey-bee. Besides the one commonly cultivated—viz., 
the Apis mellifica, the Apis Ligustica of Spinola ( Apis Ligurienne 
of Latreille), is cultivated with success in Italy, and is probably 
the same species that is found in the Grecian Archipelago. In 
its physical characters it nearly resembles our own hive bee: the 
difference consists in the two first rings of the abdomen, and the 
base of the third, being of a pale reddish colour, instead of a deep 
brown. The continent of Africa seems well stocked with bees. 
The insect itself, supposed to be the Apis Fasciata of Latreille, 
bears a considerable resemblance to that cultivated in Greece. 
On the western coast, where it is intersected by the Senegal, we 
find what we are assured is another species of bees—viz., Apis 
Adansonii. It has, however, a very near resemblance to Apis 
Ligustica; its difference being in the two first rings of the ab¬ 
domen, and the anterior half of the third, which are of a pale 
chestnut colour.” 
The question of hybridising, which called forth the letter of 
“ A Devonshire Bee-keeper,” is a distinct part of the subject, 
and no analogy can be drawn from the habits of wild bees in a 
natural state, the process of engrafting the Italian (Gi'eek ?) bee 
upon an English stock being altogether an artificial one, by the 
forced substitution of one fertile queen for another. But the 
hybridising of bees is not the object in view; on the contrary, 
every precaution should be taken to prevent a mixed race in 
families by interposing the widest possible separation of locality. 
Any benefit to be derived from the introduction of the foreigners 
is a point yet to be ascertained, depending altogether on purity of 
breeds—whether considered as a variety only, or a distinct species. 
The latter question may, perhaps, attract the attention of some 
of your more scientific readers. 
And this brings to my recollection a communication in your 
pages a short time since from Mr. J. Lowe, describing what he 
considered to be a new variety of the common bee in his posses¬ 
sion. It is to be hoped that means will be resorted to, especially 
in the swarming time, to keep these strangers distinct from his 
other bees, so as to prevent their being merged into the general 
mass of the apiary. 
The mention of Mr. Lowe’s name reminds me that a debt of 
obligation is due to him for his recent letter in your columns 
(page 175), which some of your correspondents will do well to 
keep in recollection in speculating on the relative merits of this 
or that hive, as connected with the honey-harvest. His views 
are entirely supported by Dr. Bevau, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Gold¬ 
ing. The latter thus expresses himself in the “ Shilling Bee- 
book —“ Let my readers,” says he, “ repel the quackery which 
would make them believe that it was the kind of hive which 
commanded the honied store. No; that will be ruled by the 
productiveness of the season and locality.” 
With the pen in my hand, I will just refer to some recent, 
remarks as regards coverings for hives exposed. An outer large 
straw hive, made to drop over another, is not uncommon, and 
such may be seen at Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, London. The 
price cannot much exceed a common hive, and it may be made 
by the same mechanic ; nor is there any danger of blowing off. 
But the wet, if long continued, will find its way through paint 
notwithstanding. Roman cement is decidedly bad, though 
another kind of cement is spoken of in Taylor’s “Bee-keeper’s 
Manual,” where is also described and illustrated a somewhat 
similar outer cover, but made as a mere straw cylinder open at 
each end. The difficulty as to wet is got over by means of a 
loose zinc cover somewhat raised in the centre, fitting over the 
top of the cylinder as a lid, and the rim a little overlapping all 
round. The whole may be made high enough to include a super 
of any kind if desired. In the absence of zinc a wooden cover 
might answer, chamfered from the centre to shoot off wet.—A n 
Old Apiarian. 
TOADS ARE BEE-EATERS. 
Having been from an early age addicted to raising seedlings 
and plants from cuttings, a deadly feeling soon possessed me against 
slugs; and one morning, whilst visiting under a north wall my 
striking-bed of double Wallflowers, a deep respect was implanted 
in me for all toads, by finding one which I then believed in the 
last embrace of death, choked by a slug which had proved too 
large for his gullet. This extreme devotion in aid of my endea¬ 
vours naturally tended to beget a kindly feeling to Mr. Toad; 
and often have I afforded his race protection against the wanton 
cruelty of thoughtless and ignorant boys. Last year’, however, 
I found that these gentry, morbidly idle and lethargic as they 
appear, had a great predilection for the company of the hive bee: 
and having concluded in my own mind that whatever amount of 
social taste old Toady might be endowed with, he no doubt hud 
some selfish ends in view ; and being curious to ascertain beyond 
a doubt the reason why he was so constantly near the foot of 
the hives, I watched, and soon saw' a big fellow dart out his 
tongue, and with equal celerity withdraw it along with a bee 
laden with pollen, which from exhaustion had fallen on the ground, 
unable to reach the floorboard of the hive. I saw the same 
repeated several times, not only then, but upon other occasions. 
And that which is important, I tried old Toady with dead bees, 
which he would not touch ; but as soon ns one was on the ground 
and began to move, he at once crawled towards it, out shot his 
tongue, and as quickly withdrew with the bee into his mouth. 
In less than ten moments I saw from three hives eleven bees thus 
eaten; and the feast would have proceeded, but I called the 
attention of the bees’ owner, who immediately threw the toad 
over the garden-wall, by which it was thought a riddance was 
accomplished. But no. Although there were two corners to 
come round before reaching the garden-door, and a distance of 
about sixty yards, yet this toad found his way into the garden in 
a day or so’ afterwards, and there was soon found at the other 
end—making a distance of at least a hundred yards—where the bees 
were. This toad was blind of his left eye, and was thus recognis¬ 
able. And he in my presence last year was thrown at least half a 
dozen times over the wall into a meadow field; yet on each occasion 
he was found again seeking the association of the bees. He would 
have been killed, but I pleaded for him ; and only last week this 
one-eyed bee-devourer was detected within eight or nine yards of 
the hives, when the bee-master collared him, and threatened that if 
he again returned he would utterly exterminate him, took him off 
fully 250 yards, and threw him into a pond. I told his captor, 
whilst taking it away, he should cover up the wide-awake eye; 
for I joked that the fellow was no doubt noting his observations 
as he was being carried along, and would soon afford the bees the 
lovingkindness of his company again, which in fact was the case 
to-day, for there was old one-eyed Toady. 
There can be no doubt toads devour many insects, and deserve 
our consideration ; but the circumstance now related shows that 
they should not be allowed where bees are, for they destroy the 
heavily-laden ones which fall exhausted near to the hives.— 
W. WOOLER. _ __ 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Ducks’ Nests ( B . S . P .).— If the Duck pen has an earthen floor covered 
with straw, the Duck will choose her own nest in a quiet corner. She will 
make it. AVe seldom find them willing to endorse our selection. 
LONDON MARKETS.—June 25. 
POULTRY. 
Still a scanty supply. Complaints are rife that chickens do not grow/ 
and the weather casts an entire gloom on the trade by its paralysing effect. 
Each— s. d. s. d. I Each—s. d. s.^d. 
Large Fowls. 7 0 to 0 0 Turkeys. 0 0 to 0 0 
Smaller Fowls. 4 G „ ‘5 0 Guinea Fowls. 3 0 „ 3 C 
Chickens . 2 6 ,, 3 G Pigeons. 0 8 ,, 0 9 
Geese. 0 0 „ 0 0 Hares. 0 0 „ 0 0 
Goslings . G 0 ,, G 6 Leverets . 3 6 ,, 4 6 
Ducks . 0 0 ,, 0 0 Rabbits. 1 4 ,, 1 S 
Ducklings. 3 0 ,, 3 6 I Wild ditto. 0 8 „ 0 9 
