PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 179 



to its full length, then she contracts it ; she moves it 

 about in all directions, so that it may be applied both 

 to the concave and convex surface of a petal, and wipe 

 them both ; and thus by a virtuous theft robs it of all 

 its nectar. All the while this is going on, she keeps 

 herself in a constant vibratory motion. The object of 

 the industrious animal is not, like the more selfish but- 

 terfly, to appropriate this treasure to herself. It goes 

 into the honey-bag as into a laboratory, where it is 

 transformed into pure honey ; and when she returns 

 to the hive, she regurgitates it in this form into one of 

 the cells appropriated to that purpose ; in order that, 

 after tribute is paid from it to the queen, it may consti- 

 tute a supply of food for the rest of the community. 



In collecting honey, bees do not solely confine them- 

 selves to flowers, they will sometimes very greedily 

 absorb the sweet juices of fruits : this I have frequently- 

 observed with respect to the raspberries in my garden, 

 and have noticed it, as you may recollect, in a former 

 letter^. They will also eat sugar, and produce wax 

 from it : but from Huber's observations, it appears not 

 calculated to supply the place of honey in the jelly 

 with which the larvsB are fed*". Though the great mass 

 of the food of bees is collected from flowers, they do 

 not wholly confine themselves to a vegetable diet; for, 

 besides the honeyed secretion of the Aphides, the pos- 

 session of which they will sometimes dispute with the 

 ants % upon particular occasions they will eat the eggs 

 of the queen. They are very fond also of the fluid that 

 oozes from the cells of the pupse, and will suck eagerly 



« Vot.. T. Of\ Ed. 19T. '' Huber, ii. 82. 



" Alibe Boisicr, quoted in Mills on Bees, 24, 

 N 2 



