THE HONEY-BEE. 0? 



structed as sometimes happens against the glass, 

 and where that substance forms one side of the cell. 

 There they are, the fatigued labourers, stretched at 

 full length, with their heads at the bottom, and every 

 limb apparently in a relaxed state, while the little 

 body is seen heaving gently from the process of respira- 

 tion. Huber thinks he has ascertained that there are 

 two kinds of workers in a hive, one of which he calls 

 Wax-workers, and the other Nurses. The difference 

 between these Bees had probably been observed by 

 Aristotle and Pliny. The former speaks of * e opti- 

 mum genus apum, quce breves, varies, et in rotundi- 

 tatem compactiles ; secundce quce longoe et vespis si- 

 miles" Pliny uses similar language. It does not 

 appear, however, that these naturalists were acquaint- 

 ed with the different functions if the difference 

 really does exist of the two classes. The office of 

 the first class, according to Huber, is not only to 

 collect honey which both kinds do but also to 

 elaborate the wax, and construct the combs. The 

 particular function of the other, is to take care of the 

 young. They may be distinguished in entering the 

 hive, by carefully examining their shape ; the wax- 

 workers having their bellies somewhat cylindrical, 

 while those of the nurses retain their ovoidal figure. 

 The anatomical structure of the two is said to be 

 different, and the capacity of stomach not the same ; 

 so that the one species is incapable of fulfilling all the 

 functions of the other. Huber has also directed our 

 attention to a class of workers, which he calls Black 



