THE BEE. 395 



are of a much larger form, and there are generally 

 from one to four or five in a hive: these are distin- 

 guished by the name of queens; and from these alone 

 proceed the eggs which are to replenish the community 

 on the following year. 



In examining the structure of the common working 

 bee, the first remarkable part is the trunk, which serves 

 to extract the honey from the flowers ; it is not form- 

 ed in the manner of a tube by which the fluid is 

 sucked up, but like a besom to sweep, or a tongue to ' 

 lick it away. It is likewise furnished with teeth for 

 the purpose of making wax, which, like the honey, is 

 gathered from different flowers, and is formed of that 

 dust which contributes to the fecundation of plants, 

 which the industrious little animal rolls into balls, and 

 places them in two cavities in the thighs of its hind 

 legs, and flies home laden with its useful store. 



The belly of the bee is divided into six rings, and, 

 besides the intestines, contains the honey-bag, the 

 venom-bag, and the sting ; the former is as transparent 

 as crystal, and contains the honey which has been 

 crushed from the flowers, part of which is always de- 

 posited in the cells, and the rest serves the little animal 

 for food ; and the sting, which is composed of two 

 darts, defends it from the attacks of the more indolent 

 tribes, who, but from the dread of this envenomed 

 weapon, would support themselves at the expense of 

 this industrious labourer's toil. 



From examining the bee singly, we now come to 

 consider it in society, as an animal not only subject to 

 laws, but active, vigilant, laborious, and disinterested ; 

 all its provisions are laid up for community, and all 

 its art in building a cell designed for the benefit of 



