338 THE BEE. 



erned by laws more unvaried than those of the Medes 

 and Persians, and even the most industrious of our spe- 

 cies may learn a lesson from the persevering diligence of 

 this little insect. The skill in workmanship, which the 

 arrangement and construction of their cells exhibit, is 

 truly wonderful. And the amount of honey which they 

 collect in one season, shows with what unwearied dili- 

 gence they pursue their toils. * When the day is fine and 

 the sun shining brightly, the habitation of these marvel- 

 lous little creatures exhibits the aspect of a populous 

 and busy city. The gates are crowded with hundreds of 

 industrious workers — some on the wing in search of 

 sustenance ; others returning from the field laden with 

 food — some earnestlv enijaored in buildinop — some in 

 tending the young — others employed in cleansing their 

 habitation — while four or five may be seen dragging out 

 the corpse of a companion, and, as it would appear, scru- 

 pulously paying the last honors to the dead. At one mo- 

 ment the entrances of the little city are comparatively 

 free ; at another, crowds of its inhabitants may be seen 

 struggling at the gates, making the best of their way to 

 escape from the rain, which by some peculiar sensation 

 they have discovered to be at hand. It can therefore ex- 

 cite no wonder that the habits of these interesting insects 

 should have attracted the attention of some of the 

 best observers of ancient and of modern times.' Prob- 

 ably honey was long used before bees were domesticated. 

 Innumerable swarms were continually depositing their 

 precious stores in the groves of Palestine, so that the land 

 was said to flow with milk and honey. History does not 

 inform us when these industrious little insects were 

 brought from their native grove to labor for man. But 

 now in all parts of the civilized world the cheerful hum 

 of the bee is heard in the farm yard. Long and careful 

 examination of their habits has swept away fabulous stories 

 engendered by imagination, and has brought to light the 

 real history of the bee, replete with interest and wonder. 



THE STRUCTURE OP THE BEE. 



In every hive or swarm of bees there are three classes. 

 1. A female, or queen bee. 2. Males, or drones, which 



