various stages, from the first sculptured block to tbe black 

 and worn-out comb, I placed a series of combs in a g-lnss 

 case, protected with plenty of camphor, and also placed in 

 the same case a number of humble-bee, wasp, and hornet 

 combs, as further illustrations. My labours were, however, 

 soon rendered abortive by these most provoking* insects, who 

 in an incredibly short time had driven their tunnels through 

 every comb, for the sake of the honey and wax. They first 

 devoured all the ordinary combs, including many cells filled 

 witli bee bread, and a few where pupa bees had been suffered to 

 die, they then turned their attention to the coarse, tough cells 

 of the humble-bee, and finished them, and lastly ate up even 

 the paper cells ot the hornet and wasp, leaving nothing 

 behind them but a few fragments hanging- on their silken 

 tubes. For tobacco smoke they cared not a jot, and sulphur 

 only caused them a temporary inconvenience. A solution of 

 corrosive sublimate, dissolved in spirits of wine, destroyed 

 all those who were alive, but their place was speedily 

 supplied by others newly hatched. These creatures take 

 care to expose no part of themselves out of their habitations 

 except their head and neck, which like that of the caddis 

 worm is hard, and impenetrable to the .attacks of their 

 enemies. 



As to the internal government of the bee-community, Mr. 

 Grant states there are some bees that appear never to work 

 themselves, but take regular rounds to ascertain whether all 

 bees are performing their duties satisfactorily : but it is pro- 

 bable that these officers or magistrates of the hive, may 

 also, like the sentinels, fulfil their high duties only in rota- 

 tion. And sad enough these duties occasionally are — invol- 

 ving no less than penal judgments. Mr. Grant beheld 

 " two bees brought out of the hive by other bees, assisted 

 by one on each side as guards : they were evidently con- 

 demned criminals. They were thrown down in front of the 

 hive, stung to death, and then the executioners letuined to 

 the hive as though conscious of having performed a highly 

 praiseworthy duty." He supposes these unfortunates to 

 have been either strangers or unruly members : but as this 

 involves a serious point of the bee criminal jurisprudence, we 

 had better suspend our judgments until the facts are made 

 clearer. Perhaps the criminals were a pair of the corsaira 



