POLLEN AND BEE BREAD. 



propriaticm. This pollen or farina of flowers after undergoing 

 a certain process, of which swallowing forms a part becomes 

 what is called bee bread,, and constitutes, as such, one of the 

 strongest supports of bee existence, especially before arrived at 

 maturity. After being swallowed, it may perhaps be imparted 

 at once to some of the infant occupants of the nursery cells ; or, 

 if more is collected than immediate need requires, this, as well 

 as honey, is laid up in store, being diluted and packed for 

 future use. 



We have seen how our busy gatherer has brought home her 

 quota of pollen or bee-bread, and honey or bee- wine; but has 

 she contributed to the general magazine her share of wax,- 

 that material so indispensable to form the " casks," or caskets 

 wherein both these treasures are preserved? She has done her 

 part (doubt it not !) in augmentation of this useful commodity ; 

 but on the present occasion she can furnish no wax, because 

 she has given away all her honey. But what has this to 

 do with it ? Might we not say as well, that a man could not 

 furnish wood for a cask because he had given away all his 

 wine ! 



Why a bee could not contribute wax because possessed of 

 no honey is a question, certainly, which people who know 

 little about bees would naturally ask now; and the same 

 query might have been put less than a hundred years ago even 

 by those best acquainted with their habits. The older natu- 

 ralists were not aware of the least inaccuracy in the poetic 



