Curious Particulars refpeEling Bees* l8t 



of virion : from the thicknefs of the fur and thefmallnefs of 

 tliefe organs, they feejfa to be but ill calculated for dittind vi- 

 fion, and, m all probability, are like thofe of moles and fome 

 animals of that tribe. The whole apparent diameter of the 

 civitv of each does^not exceed the eighth of an inch. 



The general form and ftrg&nte of this animal, and, in- 

 particular, its bill and webbed feet, evidently tho'.v that it 

 mufl be refident in watery filiations; that.it has the habits 

 of digging or burrowing in the banks of rivers or under 

 ground; and that its food confifts of aquatic plants and ani- 

 mals. It is a native of New Holland. The average fize i3 

 not vet afcertained. 



The annexed figure of this animal, given in Plate III., was 

 delineated and engraved from a very complete preferved fpe- 

 cimcn in the poflettion of \V. H. Pepys jun. efq. 



For an anatomical defcription of the head of this animal, 

 and a figure, fee Philosophical Magazine, vol. xi. p. 366. 



XXXI. Curious Particulars refpeding Bees. By Mrs. 

 Cooper, of- Wormley in Hertfardjbire. 



HTo Mr. Tillocb. 

 AVTNG read many curious accounts of the manage- 

 ment of bees by different authors, with plans propofed for 

 taking their honev without de'lroving them, I was refolved 

 to become an apiator, and on the 25th of Anguu 1800 I 

 purchafeda hive of bees, which was fuppofed, by computa- 

 tion of judges, to weigh above twenty pounds. I fed them in 

 the winter following; with brown fugar wetted with ale, which 

 I put into a vehicle I call a boat, from its fimilitude to a 

 Caffree canoe, and which I make out of the young moots of 

 elder dried for the purpofe, and juu big enough to pufh into 

 the door of the hive : fometimes I give two a dav, but never 

 more, the whole not being above a good table fpoonful. 

 When the flowers began to {how themfelves in the fpring of 

 1801, and I perceived them coming home loaded, I only fed 

 fhem on Inch days as thev could not go out, and defifted from 

 it entirely in the month of April. 



The bees appeared healthy and very numerous, frequently 

 covering the whole hive outfide, which I thought indicate^ 

 their going to fwarm : but in this I was totally difappointed; 

 and as the feafon declined I began, the better to preferve my 

 'bees, to feed them as the preceding year; which f continued 

 Until the flowers and honey dews convinced me they had 

 enough. On the 4th of June 1803 my flock font forth a 

 -•x.3. N 7, very 



