350 BRITISH BEES. 



centre. To prevent the trampling of the discharging 

 bees from injuring the delicate structure of the walls of 

 the cell, each edge is furnished with a strengthening 

 rim of wax. The bulk of these stores is never broken, 

 except in bad wet seasons, in times of great dearth, or 

 upon any suspension of torpidity during their hiberna- 

 tion. For the ordinary and daily consumption of those 

 of the community whose labours confine them to the 

 hive, open stores are left. As of course it occupies 

 the excursions of several bees for some time to fill one 

 of these vases, and to prevent the liquid flowing out, 

 as it might do from its exceeding tenuity through the 

 influence of the summer heat, and the then increased 

 temperature of the hive, as well as from its inclined 

 horizontal position, this is guarded against by the 

 precautional sagacity of the little creatures placing 

 upon it from the deposit of the very first supply a sort 

 of operculum, as before described, of a thicker consis- 

 tency, which lies upon the top of its progressive increase, 

 and thus prevents its oozing. It lies upon the honey 

 across the transverse diameter of the cell, and conse- 

 quently in a vertical position. Its purpose, like that of 

 the flat pieces of wood which are placed upon the water 

 of full pails when carried by the yoke, is to prevent its 

 spilling or overflowing. This small cover has to be par- 

 tially removed upon the arrival of a bee with fresh store, 

 which she herself does by tearing aside a portion of it 

 to enable her to regurgitate into the cavity the portion 

 she has brought home ; upon freeing herself from this 

 she does not wait to restore the dilapidation she has 

 caused, but proceeds on a fresh harvesting. Another 

 bee, whose duty it is, then readapts this cover to its 

 purpose, and repairs it. Their excursions to collect are 



