INSECTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE HIVE BEE. 

 Queen Bee— Her Treatment by her Subjects. 



The scene presented by the interior of a bee-hive 

 has seldom failed to interest even the most incurious 

 observer, while it fills with astonishment the mind 

 of the enlightened and profound philosopher. When 

 the day is fine and the sun shining- brightly, the ha- 

 bitation of these marvellous little creatures exhi- 

 bits the aspect of a populous and busy city. The 

 gates are crowded with hundreds of industrious 

 workers — some on the wing in search of suste- 

 nance ; others returning from the fields laden with 

 food — Some earnestly engaged in building — some 

 in tending the young — others employed in cleansing 

 their habitation — while four or five may be seen 

 dragging out the corpse of a companion, and, as it 

 would appear, scrupulously paying the last honours 

 to the dead. At one moment the entrances of the 

 little city are comparatively free ; at another, 

 crowds of its inhabitants may be seen struggling at 

 the gates, making the best of their way to escape 

 from the rain, which, by some peculiar sensation, 

 they have discovered to be at hand. It can there- 

 fore excite no wonder that the habits of these in- 

 teresting insects should have attracted the attention 

 of some of the best observers of ancient and of 

 C 



