THE HONEY-BEE. 83 



utmost ire is kindled against the invader, as far as 

 concerns the reception of the newly-hatched insec; 9 

 and its introduction to the duties and avocations of 

 the Bee-community, they appear altogether selfish 

 and indifferent. There is another case in which this 

 indifference appears very striking : a sudden change 

 of weather about the end of autumn, from a mild 

 temperature to raw frost, has such an immediate 

 effect on the brood, that it is not uncommon to ob- 

 serve a young bee, which shall have so far succeeded 

 in breaking its prison, as to extricate its head, and 

 nearly its shoulders, yet perishing from cold in this 

 situation, without the slightest effort on the part of 

 the workers to save the life of a companion whose 

 rearing has already cost them so much labour. 



Immediately after the young bee has issued from 

 the cell, the workers hasten to clean it out, clear 

 away the ragged remains of the cover, fortify it anew 

 with the usual strong bordering of wax, and thus pre- 

 pare it for the reception of another egg, or of honey 

 or farina. 



We have hitherto confined our observations to the 

 progress of a worker, from the egg to the state of the 

 perfect insect. The same process takes place in the 

 case of the Males and of the Queen, though with 

 some difference as to the time occupied in the trans- 

 formation. Like those of the common bees, the eggs 

 of Males are hatched in three days ; the larva state 

 continues six and a half days, and after having formed 

 their cocoon, and been ir tamorphosed into nymphs, 





