BEE 



156 



H I 



The cells of comb are used for the purposes of storing 

 up honey for the winter, ami in them the larv:u are reared. 

 Pollen, or beo-broad, is also stored up in some of thu r.-IU 

 Many larva 1 may be reared in the same roll, and as cadi 

 a coctHui, or web. on its sides which is never clewed 

 out, it thus becomes at lost too contracted to contain larvoo ; 

 it is then used for one or both of the other purposes above 

 mentioned. When u hive is well stored with combs having 

 empty cells, the workers disgorge the honey into these re- 

 o pudi-s ; but in case cells are wanted, they retain the 

 honey, and wax is secreted fur the purpose of building 

 inure combs. 



Honey is never consumed but in cases of the greate-t 

 necessity ; but as soon as a cull is filled, it is sealed up with 

 a waxen covering. 



During th>- progress of a comb in building, the slightest 

 interruption is likely to alter its form : and as the -paee 

 between e.u-h it. always kept exactly the same, it frequently 

 happens that the whole of the combs are aflcctcd by any 

 accident happening to one. Fig. 18 illustrates an instance 

 of this sort, which we have seen 



Fig. 18. 



Fig. 19. 



but it also frequently happens that an interruption in one 

 comb is corrected in those that follow. A curious instance 

 of this nature we have also observed. See ./?,?. 19. 



In both these instances the form of the comb was affected 

 by a stick being placed across the middle of the hive, to 

 enable the owner (as we believe) to remove the hive with 

 less danger of the combs giving way. 



The latter case is so ingenious, that at first it appears 

 more like an operation of reason than instinct: it is never- 

 theless to be accounted for, upon the instinctive principles 

 with which these animals work. The course of the first 

 comb being altered, the two adjoining ones would naturally 

 follow its line: but if those next beyond them on cadi side 

 v.-eri! in a state of forwardness, the workers would be obliged 

 t') discontinue the two former, as shown in the figure, to 

 avoid coming in contact with the two latter; for it appears 

 to be a law in the construction of new combs, that a certain 

 space should be always left at the margins as well as be- 

 tween them. 



In addition to the construction of the comb, the bees, 

 when in danger of attacks from their enemies, barricade 

 themselves. Sometimes the entrance of the hive is nearly 

 blocked up with wax and propolis, and at others a wall o'f 

 ihkl substance is constructed just behind that part; this 

 wall is perforated with holes only just large enough to 

 admit of the egress and ingress of the bees themselves. 

 The fortifications are occasionally much more ingenious 

 and complicated. Weak hives are sometimes exposed to 

 tin- attacks of strange bees, and in such cases fortifie 

 would be constructed ; but it is more particularly to prevent 

 the ravages of the Acherontia atropos that this care is 

 taken. As this moth only makes its appearance in the 

 ntitinnn, these fortifications arc removed in tlie spiing, a 

 time when they would be of the greatest inconvenience, 

 as the hive is then extremely populous. Hubor states 

 the entrances formed in 1804 were destroyed in the 

 spring of 1805. The sphinx (Acherontia atropos) did not 

 r that year; but it returned in great number- in 

 the autumn of 1807. By speedily barricading them 

 the beet prevented their threatened ravages ; hut before 

 the departure of swarms in May, 1808. they demolished the 

 fortifications, whose narrow passage prohibited live . 

 to Hi" multitude/ 



The facts related in the foregoing account are such as we 

 find, for the most part, wcH authenticated by the various 

 authors who have written on the subject; but there are 



many more interesting circumstances related in each, which 

 we think not yet quite satisfactorily confirmed. 



The principal authors who have written ujuii the subject 

 are a* follows : 



Aristotle. History if Animals, book v. 



1'liny. Natural History, book 



Swammerdam. A translation into English, from the 

 Dutch and Latin original edition of his work, has l-i n made 

 by Thomas Floyd, entitled The Book <f \ t/,,: 



History of Insects. 



Reaumur. In the fifth volume of his .'. /><>ur 



.w/Tir <i 1'IUstmre des Insectes. 1 "3-1-1 MJ. 



Sehirach. Histoire Naturelle da la Reine tits Abcillct. 

 1771. 



Hiem. Contemplation de la Nature. 



Bonnet. Tom. v. 4to. edition, and torn. x. 8vo. 



John Hunter. In the Philosophical Transactions for 

 1792. 



Thorley. Female Monarchy ; being an Inquiry into tht 

 Nature, Order, and Gorernment ofttees. 



\Vildman. A Complete Guide for the Management <>f 

 Her*. 1819. 



Huber. Nouvelles Observations sur les AbttUfs. A 

 translation into English of this work was published in the 

 year 1821, entitled New Observations on the Natural lli- 

 tory of Bees. 



Edward Bevan, M.D. The Honey-Pee; its Natural 

 History, Physinlny, and Management. Ib'jr. 



BEK-EATER (zoology), the vernacular name for a spe- 

 cies of the genus Merops, Linn., one of the family M. n>- 

 pidaf, and of the syndaelylous tube, which ha\ e the ex; 

 toe nearly as long as the middle one, and both joined together 

 up to the penultimate articulation. 



The birds of this genus take their prey, consisting of 

 bees, kc., like the swallows, while on the wing ; 

 and, as Cuvier observes, it is remarkable that they ;u 

 stung by those insects : the species are numerous, and 

 many are figured by Levaillant. Their nests arc formed in 

 the banks of rivers, where they dig deep holes; and their 

 geographical distribution is over the wanner regions of the 

 old continent, Java, &c., and New Hi Hand (1'ar.nuatlal, 

 none of the genus having been found in America, when- 

 their place appears to be supplied by the Af'tmots (Prio- 

 nites, Illiger). Their brilliant plumes of colours, which 

 change according to exposure to light, the prevalent hues 

 being azures and greens, remind the observer of the king- 

 fisher's gorgeous dress. A familiar example of the genus 

 occurs in the bird whoso English name is at the head of 

 this article the Guejrier vulgaire of the French, tin: 

 Mangia-api and Lnpo d'Api of the Italians, the M.'(^ 

 of the Greeks, and Mernpn Apiaster of Linnx'us. 



