780 



are grown on liijht loam and moor-earth, and are pro- 

 pagated bv cutting. 



HOVENIA (Thunberg). A genus of fruit trees, 

 natives of the eastern parts of Asia, belonging to 

 Rhamneae. Generic character : calyx of five spread- 

 ing parts; petals alternating with the segments of the 

 calyx and convolute ; stamens opposite the petals al- 

 most hidden ; style simple ; stigmas three ; peduncle 

 thick and succulent ; seed vessel three-berried. The 

 most remarkable part of the structure of the fructifica- 

 tion is, the peduncle after the petals are fallen be- 

 comes enlarged and succulent, and filled with a sweet 

 red pulp, having somewhat the flavour of a pear, and 

 are esteemed as a fruit in China and Japan. 



HOYA (R. Brown). A genus of curious fleshy- 

 leaved climbing plants, natives of India and China, 

 and belonging to the natural order AsclepiadeeE. 

 These plants are easily propagated by cuttings, and 

 aro grown on loamy soil, requiring but little water in 

 winter. 



HUMBLE-BEE (Bonibus), A genus of social 

 hymenopterousinsects.belonging to the section aculcata 

 and sub-section mellifera, distinguished generally by 

 having the upper lip transverse ; the proboscis not so 

 long as the body ; the second joint of the labial palpi 

 pointed, having the two terminal joints inserted later- 

 ally ; the posterior tibia3 terminated by two spines ; 

 the body thick and very hairy ; and, lastly, by the 

 presence of individuals of the neuter sex, with the so- 

 cial peculiarities necessarily resulting from such cir- 

 cumstances, and to which we have already alluded in 

 our article BEE. This is a very well-marked group 

 of insects, as contrasted with ome other of the ge- 

 nera of bees ; but the investigation of the numerous 

 species of which it is composed is attended with very 

 great difficulty ; nor is it possible that many of the 

 doubts, at present existing, can be cleared up until a 

 more minute examination of the nests of the various 

 species has been made, whereby only w^e shall be 

 enabled to give to each species its own individuals. 

 Huber, Reaumur, and Dahlbom, however, have gone 

 far in enabling us to give a- tolerably complete ac- 

 count of their habits. The communities of these in- 

 sects, which have more the character of a republic 

 than that of the monarchy of the hive bee, are an- 

 nually dissolved at the approach of winter. At this 

 period the fecundated females hide themselves in the 

 crevices of walls, or trees, or under ground ; the 

 males and aged females not having this instinct, perish 

 with cold, so that upon the arrival of the next spring, 

 the former only, which had lain dormant through the 

 rigours of the winter, remain alive ; these, being soon 

 actuated by a desire to deposit their eggs, are pre- 

 viously compelled to construct a nest for themselves, 

 the workers being all dead ; each bee, therefore, has 

 now separately to seek a fresh abode, to prepare it 

 lor the reception of, and to make, a quantity of waxen 

 cells, as well as to get a supply of honey. The situ- 

 ation of the nest depends upon the species ; some of 

 them dig to a considerable depth underground (as the 

 Bombus tcrrestris], whilst others select a crevice in a 

 neap of stones (as liombtis lapidarius), and others (as 

 the Bombus mnscorum) place their nest, covered with 



s ? or c drie(1 ' eaves ' u P n the surface of the ground. 

 : first of these cases, it is necessary that a nar- 

 row passage, a foot or two along, should be made to 

 i-namber in which the nest is made, and for which 

 a mouse s nest, or a mole hole suits admirably. The 

 this retreat, as well as the sides of the pas- 



H O V E N I A H U M B L E - B E E. 



sage, have to be rendered smooth. Those species, 

 whose nests are above ground, select a spot somewhat 

 hollowed out and surrounded by plants, either in the 

 open field, or in hedge-rows, banks, &c. ; this spot is 

 then cleared, and a dome of moss raised, the little 

 bundles of which it is formed being successively 

 pushed backwards till they are brought home. The 

 passage leading to this nest is also similarly carpeted. 



Nest of humble-bee recently commenced ; a, covered entrance; 



b, waxen cells in which are placed the eggs ; c, waxen envelope 



commenced ; d, mossy dome commenced. 



These are the chief differences which exist amongst 

 the humble bees, which some authors have thence di- 

 vided into carder bees (B. muscorum, tf-c.), lapidary 

 bees which also use moss (B. lapidarius, #c.), and 

 humble bees which do not use moss (B. terrestris, <$-c.) 

 As, however, these bees resemble each other in the 

 remainder of their proceedings, the provisioning and 

 enlarging of the nest, and rearing the young, we have 

 not hesitated to introduce them into a single article. 

 Having thus prepared a nest, and given to its dome 

 a rough inner coating of wax, the female places in the 

 middle of it various irregular masses of brown wax, 

 named by Reaumur, la pdtee, and which he compares 

 to truffles. Their hollow centres are destined to hold 

 the eggs and grubs when hatched ; and are supplied 

 with pollen paste. Here the larvae live in societies of 

 five or six individuals, until the period arrives when 

 they are ready to assume the pupa state, at which 

 time they separate, and each spins for itself an oval 

 silken cocoon, attached to each other in a vertical 

 position. Reaumur asserts that these grubs feed 

 upon the wax which forms their lodging ; but in the 

 opinion of Huber, the latter merely defends them from 

 outward accidents, the food of the larva consisting in 

 a supply of pollen moistened with honey, which the 

 workers take care to supply from time to time, opening 

 the cells, and again closing them after the young have 

 been fed. It is stated, that when the larva is full 

 grown it reverses its position, and becomes a pupa 

 head downwards ; in which position, also, the bee 

 makes its escape out of the cocoon ; but Dahlbom 

 states that the insect having remained in the pupa 

 state for five days, and then become a perfect bee, 

 immediately begins to gnaw the inside of its cell, 

 upon hearing which the female, with great instinct, 

 immediately approaches the cell, and gnaws round its 

 outside near to the top, from which labour she does 

 not desist until the cap or upper part of the cell has 

 fallen off, and the bee makes its way out of the hole 

 at the top of the cell. The colours of the hairs of 

 the insect when first disclosed are grey, but they 

 shortly assume their proper colours. When these 



