Mr. Newport on the Aqueous Vapour expelled from Bee-hives. 279 



as on the preceding- morning-, was 10°'5 Fahr. above that of the open atmosphere, 

 and 2°"5 above that of the top of the hive. At six o'clock of the evening of the 

 same day, when the temperature was sinking, and was then only 53°*9 Fahr., 

 that of the vapour in the phial, taken as before, was only 59°. The hive had 

 then become quiet for the night, and its temperature was reduced. The tem- 

 perature of the expelled air was thus shown to depend much on the degree of 

 activity or quiescence of the bees, and consequently on the greater or smaller 

 amount of their respiration. The bees were now in a state of rest, and respired 

 but little ; while in the morning they were becoming active, and preparing to 

 enter upon their labours. During this night the temperature of the atmo- 

 sphere sunk down to 32° Fahr.; and when I again examined it in the morning, 

 September 4th, at six o'clock, it had risen only to 41°*5 Fahr. The hive was 

 then quiet, the bees had been reposing all night, and were disposed to pass 

 into their state of semi-hybernation. The temperature of the interior, at the 

 top of the hive, was then only 54° Fahr., and that of the vapour in the phial, 

 even at the entrance-hole of the hive, was but 59° Fahr. ; and the quantity of 

 vapour condensed within the phial scarcely amounted to so much as three 

 minims. These concordant circumstances seem to prove that the vapour 

 expelled from the hive results in chief part from the respiration of the bees, 

 and the extraneous transpiration from their bodies ; that this is most abundant 

 when the bees are most active and are respiring freely, and when the greatest 

 amount of heat is evolved by them. On the contrary, as the activity of the 

 bees is diminished, the temperature of the hive becomes reduced and the 

 quantity of air deteriorated, and the vapour expelled is lessened. And may 

 we not also conclude from the fact, that the vapour, which thus seems to be 

 the result of respiration by the bees, and which is condensed and deposited 

 as it issues forth, holds in solution a superabundance of carbonaceous matter, 

 which is deposited with it, and occasions the discoloration of the combs and 

 of the entrance to the hive ? 



