11* HISTORY OF 



purposes, it being never found hard enough to 

 form into candles, as in Europe. 



Of insects that receive the name of bees, among 

 us there are several, which, however, differ widely 

 from that industrious social race we have been just 

 describing. The Humble-Bee is the largest of all 

 this tribe, being as large as the first joint of one's 

 middle finger. These are seen in every field, and 

 perched on every flower. They build their nest 

 in holes in the ground, of dry leaves, mixed with 

 wax and wool, defended with moss from the 

 weather. Each humble-bee makes a separate 

 cell, about the size of a small nutmeg, which is 

 round and hollow, containing the honey in a bag. 

 Several of these cells are joined together, in such 

 a manner that the whole appears like a cluster 

 of grapes. The females, which have the appear- 

 ance of wasps, are very few, and their eggs are 

 laid in cells, which the rest soon cover over with 

 wax. It is uncertain whether they have a queen 

 or not; but there is one much larger than the 

 rest, without wings and without hair, and all over 

 black, like polished ebony. This goes and views 

 all the works from time to time, and enters into 

 the cell, as if it wanted to see whether every 

 thing was done right : in the morning the young 

 humble-bees are very idle, and seem not at all 

 inclined to labour, till one of the largest, about 

 seven o'clock, thrusts half its body from a hole 

 designed for that purpose, and, seated on the top 

 of the nest, beats its wings for twenty minutes 

 successively, buzzing the whole time, till the 

 whole colony is put in motion. The humble-bees 



