86 NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. V 



Huber relates a curious story to illustrate the 

 good-nature and generous disposition of the humble 

 bee. In a time of scarcity, some hive bees, after 

 pillaging the nest of the humble bee, took entire pos- 

 session of it : one or two, however, of the latter still 

 lingered about their old habitation, and went into 

 the fields to collect honey, which they brought home ; 

 the hive bees surrounded, licked them, and presented 

 to them their proboscis, never once showing the 

 sting. By these means, Huber is of opinion, that 

 the humble bee was fairly wheedled out of its stock 

 of honey : these manoeuvres lasted three weeks. 



Their affection for their young is remarkable. 

 When about to lay her eggs, the female is obliged 

 to watch with the utmost care, and to drive off the 

 workers, who greedily endeavour to devour them. 

 Kirby thinks this instinct is bestowed upon the in- 

 sect for the purpose of keeping the population within 

 due bounds. For six or eight hours the cell con- 

 taining her precious charge is anxiously watched by 

 the mother ; but, after this period, the desire to de- 

 vour the egg ceases to animate the workers, and 

 they now appear as assiduous in preserving, as they 

 were before eager to destroy, the young. They 

 know to the hour when the food is consumed by the 

 grub, and introduce a fresh supply through a small 

 hole made in the receptacle, which is then carefully 

 closed. As the grubs increase in size, the cell which 

 contained them becomes too small; and by their 

 exertions to be more at ease its thin sides are split. 

 The workers, which stand constantly by to watch 

 when their services may be wanted, apply a patch 

 of wax to fill up these breaches as fast as they are 

 made. The cells are thus daily increased in size, 

 in order to accommodate the growing grub. When 

 the larva is about to change into the pupa, the 

 workers cluster over the cocoon, and thus cherish the 

 tender inhabitant with that heat which is necessary 

 to its existence. Mr* P. Huber put a dozen humble 



