3<K> THE BEE, 



posterity. When they begin to work in their hives, 

 they divide themselves into four companies ; one of 

 which roves through the gardens and fields in search 

 of materials for composing their cells; another is em- 

 ployed in laying out the partitions ; a third is occupied 

 in making the inside smooth from corners and an- 

 gles ; and a fourth company bring food for the rest, 

 or in relieving those which return from their laborious 

 toil* 



The cells of these industrious little animals are all 

 formed upon a hexagon plan, and answer three distinct 

 designs : some are devoted to the reception of the 

 wax, which, in winter serves them chiefly for their 

 food ; others are destined to receive the honey ; and 

 some are converted into dwellings for their young. 

 The wax, as was before observed, is composed of that 

 downy powder found within various kinds of flowers, 

 first digested in the creature's stomach, and then ap- 

 plied to this industrious use. The honey is extracted 

 from that part of the flower called the nectareum, and, 

 from the mouth, this delicious fluid passes into the 

 gullet, then into the first stomach or honey-bag, which 

 has the appearance of an oblong bladder ; and the mo- 

 ment it is deposited in the cell, it is carefully covered 

 with congealinsr wax. 



One queen bee is known to prove sufficient to com- 

 pletely stock a whole hive, and is allowed to produce 

 upwards of twenty thousand young. When a greater 

 number of these little sovereigns take possession of the 

 same abode, each is surrounded by a separate train ; 

 and so great is the veneration that is paid them, that all 

 labour is suspended w hen they die. Quarrels, however, 

 are by no means uncummon amongst these potentates, 



