T H E R E E. 305 



which extrafbs the honey from flowers. It is formed Kke a befom, to 

 fwcep, or a tongue, to lick it away. The teeth fervc in making wax. 

 This is gathered from flowers, like honey ; and is that dufl: o\ farina 

 which fecundates plants : it is molded into wax by the little animal at 

 leifure. A bee enters the cup of a flower, particularly if charged with 

 this yellow farina. Being covered with hair, it rolls itfelf in the flower, 

 till quite covered with duft, which it bruflies off with its two hind legs, and 

 kneads into two little balls. In the thighs of the hind legs are two cavi- 

 ties, edged with hair ; into thefe the animal fticks its pellets. Thus 

 employed, the bee flies from flower to flower, increafmg its fl:ore, and 

 adding to its fl:ock of waxj until the ball upon each thigh becomes as 

 big as a grain of pepper ; when having got a fufficient load, it returns to 

 th^ hive. 



The belly of the bee is divided into fix rings, which fometimes 

 (horten the body, by flipping one over the other. It contains, befide the 

 inteftines, the honey-bag, the venom-bag, and the fting. The honey- 

 bag is tranfparent, receives the honey the bee has collected, of which 

 the greater part is carried to the honey-comb j the remainder ferves for 

 nourifliment : for, during fummer, it never touches what has been 

 laid up for winter. The fting is compofed of three parts j the fhcath, 

 and two darts, extremely fmall and penetrating, haying feveral fliarp 

 points or barbs, which render the fl:ing more painful. The fheath, 

 which has a fharp point, makes the firft wound i this is followed by 

 the darts, and then the venom is poured in. The flieath fometimes 

 fticks fo fafl: in the wound, that it is left behind ; by which the bee loon 

 after dies, and the wound is confiderably enflamed. Without a fl:ing this 

 little animal would have too many plunderers, and lazy animals, fond of 

 honey, would intrude on the fwects of the hive. 



All its provifions are laid up for the community ; all its arts in build- 

 ing are for pofterity. Bees build their cells with wax, fafliioned inro conve- 

 nient apartments. When they begin to work, they divide themfelves in- 

 to four companies : one roves the fields in fcarch of materials i another 

 fays out the bottom and partitions of their cells ; a third fmoothcns 

 the infides from corners and angles ; the fourth bring food, or relieve 

 thofe who return with their burthens. They often change taflis ; thofe 

 at work, go abroad j and thofe from the fields take their places. 

 When any one wants food, it bends down its trunk to the bee from whom 

 it is expected, which then opens its honey-bag, and lets fome drops fall 

 Part VI. No. 31. 3F inCQ 



