I5EE. 
337 
give a sound when flying, Avhich they can vary 
according to circumstances. One accustomed to 
bees, can immediately tell when a bee makes an 
attack, by the sound. This is probably made 
by the wings. They may be seen standing at the 
door of their hive, with the belly rather raised, 
and moving their wings, making a noise. But 
they produce a noise independent of their wings; 
for if a bee is smeared all over with honey, so as 
to make the wings stick together, it will be found 
to make a noise, which is shrill and peevish. To 
ascertain this further, I held a bee by the legs, 
wdth a pair of pincers; and observed it then niade 
the peevish noise, although the wings were per- 
fectlv still: I then cut the wings off, and found k 
made the same noise. I examined it in water, 
but it then did not produce the noise, till it was 
very much teased, and then it made the same 
kind of noise; and I could observe the water, or 
rather the surface of contact of the water with the 
air at the mouth of an air-hole at the root of the 
wing, vibrating. I have observed that they, or 
«ome of them, make a noise the evenings before 
they swarm, which is a kind of ring, or sound of a 
small trumpet: by comparing it with the notes of 
the piano forte, it seemed to be the same with the 
lower A of the treble. 
“ Of the Sting of the Bee. 
I have observed that it is only the queen and 
the labourers that have stings; and tin’s provision 
V. VI. p. II, 22 
