17S PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



in the hive-bee, you must press the abdomen so as to 

 cause it to extend itself; you will then find on each of 

 the four intermediate ventral segments, separated by 

 the carina or elevated central part, two trapeziform 

 whitish pockets, of a soft membranaceous texture : on 

 these tlie laminae of wax are formed, and they are found 

 upon them in different states, so as to be more or less 

 perceptible. I must here observe that, besides Thor- 

 ley, who seems to have been the first apiarist that ob- 

 served these laminae, Wildman was not ignorant of 

 them, nor of the wax being formed from honey* : we 

 must not therefore permit foreigners to appropriate to 

 themselves the whole credit of discoveries that have 

 been made, or at least partially made, by our own coun- 

 trymen. 



Long before Linnc had discovered the nectary of 

 flowers, our industrious creatures had made themselves! 

 intimate with every form and variety of them ; and no 

 botanist, even in this enlightened era of botanical sci- 

 ence, can compare with a bee in this respect. The 

 station of these reservoirs, even where the armed sight 

 of science cannot discover it, is in a moment detected 

 by the microscopic eye of this animal. 



She has to attend to a double task — to collect mate- 

 rials for bee-bread, as well as for honey and wax. Ob- 

 serve a bee that has aliglited upon an open flower. 

 The hum produced by the motion of her wings ceases, 

 and her employment begins. In an instant she unfolds 

 her tongue, which before was rolled up under her head. 

 With what rapidity does she dart this organ between 

 the petals and the stamina ! At one time she extends it 



* Wildman,'4-3. 



