BEES. 23 



when weig-lied down with two such comparatively enormous 

 balls of farina. 



These balls are invariably of the same colours as the 

 anther-dust of the flower in which these luxurious little 

 rog'ues have been rolling- ; there can be no doubt, therefore, 

 that it is of this substance, after it has been used for the 

 reproduction of vog'.etable life, that the bees take possession, to 

 assist in the rearing- of their infantine insect-life : another in- 

 stance of the economy that exists amidst all the profuse wealth 

 of the natural world. Well, the little pollen-bearers come 

 back to the hives 5 there they are met by the expectant 

 nurses, who take part of the pollen from them and devour 

 it, but not for themselves, it is only laid by for the future 

 use of the larvae. It is placed in that sing-ular receptacle 

 the honey bag-, where it becomes sufficiently mixed with 

 liquid honey for the young* and tender g-rubs to devour it. 

 It is possible that the bee may be able to regulate the food 

 that passes from the honey-bag- into the stomach, as well 

 as that which it reg'urg-itates into the mouth, but it is 

 more probable that, after remaining for a certain time in 

 the honey-bag, it involuntarily passes into the true stomach. 

 As to the rest, watch that bee yonder ; after the nurse has 

 done with her she is looking- for a cell, making a noise all 

 the wliile with her wings to call her brethren around her. 

 On reaching- the cell, with at least one attendant, she 

 balances herself firmly on the edge with her middle and 

 hind legs, whilst with the fore legs (her arms and hands) 

 she seizes the farina, drops it into the cell, and leaves the 

 attendant bee to knead it into the bottom and varnish it 

 over, whilst she flies back to " fresh fields and pastures 

 new." 



The " bee-bread " is unquestionably composed of the pollen 

 of flowers, probably kneaded up with a little honey, but so 

 little that it is not perceptible to the taste. There have 

 been many discussions as to the exact substances of which 

 this bee-bread is composed. From examinations made by 

 m3'self, it appears that the bee-bread, -when taken at dif- 

 ferent depths from the same cell, is composed of the pollen 

 taken from different plants, but that which the bee takes 

 Lome on its thighs, has been invariably found to consist of 

 the pollen of one flower only ; so that it would appear that 



