60 



Criatfurg at Natural 



angles already formed. The mass of wax 

 prepared by the assistants is applied by the 

 foundress-bee to the roof or bottom of the 

 hive, and thus a slightly double convex mass 

 is formed: when of sufficient size, a cell is 

 sculptured on one side of it by the bees, 

 who relieve one another in the labour. At 

 the back, and on each side of this first cell, 

 two others are sketched out and excavated: 

 by tMs proceeding the foundations of two 

 cells are laid, the line betwixt them cor- 

 responding with the centre of the opposite 

 cells : as the comb extends, the first exca- 

 vations are rendered deeper and broader ; 

 and when a pyramidal base is finished, the 

 bees build up walls from its edges, so as to 

 complete what may be called the prismatic 

 part of the cell. The cells intended for the 

 drones are considerably larger and more sub- 

 stantial than those for the workers ; and 

 being formed subsequently, they usually ap- 

 pear nearer the bottom of the combs : last 

 of all are built the royal cells for the queens: 

 of these there are usually three or four, 

 sometimes ten or twelve, in a hive, attached 

 completely to the central part, but not un- 

 frequently to the edge of the comb. The 

 form of the royal cells is an oblong spheroid, 

 tapering gradually downwards, and having 

 the exterior full of holes: the mouth of the 

 cell, which is always at the bottom, remains 

 open until the maggot is ready for trans- 

 formation, and it is then closed like the rest. 



" When a queen has emerged, the cell in 

 which she was reared is destroyed, and its 

 place is supplied by a range of common cells: 

 the site of this range may always be traced 

 by that part of the comb being thicker than 

 the rest, and forming a kind of knot. The 

 common breeding cells of drones and workers 

 are occasionally made the depositories of 

 honey; but the cells are never sufficiently 

 cleansed to preserve the honey undeterio- 

 rated. The finest honey is stored in new 

 cells constructed for the purpose of receiving 

 it, their form precisely resembling that of 

 the common breeding cells : these honey- 

 cells vary in size, being larger or smaller 

 according to the productiveness of the sources 

 from which the bees are collecting, and ac- 

 cording to the season." 



It is remarkable that all animals which 

 have been long under the protection of man 

 seem to lose a part of their natural sagacity. 

 In those countries where the bees are wild, 

 and unprotected by man, they are always 

 sure to build their waxen cells in the hol- 

 lows of trees ; but with us they appear im- 

 provident in their choice ; and the first green 

 branch which stops their flight is deemed 

 sufficient for their abode. It does not even 

 appear that the queen chooses the place 

 where they are to alight; for numbers of the 

 swarms when they conceive a predilection 

 for any particular branch, spontaneously 

 settle on it ; others follow their example ; 

 and at last the queen herself, finding the 

 majority of the swarm convened together, 

 condescends to place herself amongst them. 

 The queen being settled, the rest of the 

 swarm soon flock around her, and in about 

 a quarter of an hour the whole body seems 

 to be perfectly at rest. 



When a hive sends out several swarms in 

 a year, the first is always the best as well as 

 the most numerous; for, having the greatest 

 part of the_ summer before them, they have 

 the more time for making wax and honey, 

 and consequently their labours are the most 

 valuable to their proprietor. Though the 

 swarm is principally made up of the younger 

 Bees, those of all ages generally compose the 

 number of emigrants ; and as a single hive 

 sometimes contains upwards of forty thou- 

 sand inhabitants, such a vast body may well 

 be supposed to work with great expedition. 



Among the varied mass of amusing and 

 instructive information with which the 

 volumes of Kirby and Spence abound, we 

 shall make a few condensed extracts ere we 

 close this article : Bees in their excursions 

 do not confine themselves to the spot im- 

 mediately contiguous to their dwelling, 

 but, when led by the scent of honey, will go 

 a mile from it, or considerably more ; yet 

 from this distance they will discover honey 

 with as much certainty as if it was within 

 their sight. * * * A new-born bee, as soon 

 as it is able to use its wings, seems perfectly 

 aware, without any previous instruction, 

 what are to be its duties and employments 

 for the rest of its life. It appears to know 

 that it is born for society, and not for selfish 

 pursuits ; and therefore it invariably de- 

 votes itself and its labours to the benefit of 

 the community to which it belongs. Walk- 

 ing upon the combs, it seeks for the door of 

 the hive, that it may sally forth and be useful. 

 Full of life and activity, it then takes its 

 first flight ; and, unconducted but by its in- 

 stinct, visits like the rest the subjects of Flora, 

 absorbs their nectar, covers itself with their 

 ambrosial dust, which it kneads into a mass 

 and packs upon its hind legs ; and, if need 

 be, gathers propolis (an unctuous resinous 

 substance, collected from the buds of trees, 

 and used in lining the cells of a new comb, 

 stopping crevices, &c.), and returns unem- 

 barrassed to its own hive. 



The method of ventilating their hives is 

 thus described : By means of their mar- 

 ginal hooks, they unite each pair of wings 

 into one plane slightly concave, thus acting 

 upon the air by a surface nearly as large as 

 possible, and forming for them a pair of very 

 ample fans, which in their vibrations de- 

 scribe an arch of 90. These vibrations are 

 so rapid as to render the wings almost in- 

 visible. During the summer a certain 

 number of workers for it is to the workers 

 solely that this office is committed may 

 always be observed vibrating their wings 

 before the entrance of their hive ; and the 

 observant apiarist will find, upon examina- 

 tion, that a still greater number are engaged 

 within it in the same employment. The 

 station of these ventilators is upon the floor 

 of the hive. They are usually ranged in 

 files that terminate at the entrance ; and 

 sometimes, but not constantly, form so many 

 diverging rays, probably to give room for 

 comers and goers to pass. The number of 

 i ventilators in action at the same time varies : 

 I it seldom much exceeds twenty, and is often 

 more circumscribed. The time also that 

 I they devote to this function is longer or 



