J 72 BEES. 



duity. In about six days the grub arrives at 

 its full growth, when its affectionate attend- 

 ants shut up the mouth of its apartment with 

 wax, to secure it from injury. Thus inclosed, 

 it soon begins to line the walls of its cell with 

 a silken tapestry, in which it undergoes its 

 last transformation. 



The neuter Bees in a hive amount to the 

 number of 16,000 or 18,000. These are 

 armed with stings, and form the only labour- 

 ing part of the community. It is pleasant to 

 see them in the act of collecting the farinae of 

 flowers for the basis of their wax. They roll 

 themselves over the stamina, the dust of 

 which adheres to their hairs ; then, bringing 

 their feet over their bodies, they fill it with 

 two small baskets or cavities edged with hairs, 

 appended to their hind legs. As soon as a 

 Bee thus laden appears near the hive, others 

 go out to meet it, and, taking the farinee from 

 its legs, swallow it; their stomachs being 

 the laboratory where it is converted into ge- 

 nuine wax. This operation being over, each 

 individual disgorges it in the consistency of 

 dough, and then moulds it into proper form. 



The males are called drones: they are un- 



