SECT. XVI. 16. 3. OF INSTINCT. 139 



Mr. Wildman, and of other people of veracity, it appears, that 

 during the fevere part of the winter feafon, for weeks together 

 the bees are quite benumbed and torpid from the cold, and do 

 not confume any of their provifion. This ftate of fleep, like that 

 of fwallows and bats, feems to be the natural refource of thofe 

 creatures in cold climates, and the making of honey to be an 

 artificial improvement. 



As the death of our hives of bees appears to be owing to their 

 being kept fo warm, as to require food, when their flock is cx- 

 haufted ; a very obferving gentleman at my requefl put two 

 hives for many weeks into a dry cellar, and obferved during all 

 that time; they did not confume any of their provifion, for their 

 weight did not decreafe as it had done when they were kept in 

 the open air. The fame obfervation is made in the Annual 

 Regifter for 1768, p. 113. And the Rev. Mr. White, in his 

 Method of preferving Bees, adds, that thofe on the north fid; of 

 his houfe confumed lefs honey in the winter than thofe on the 

 fouth fide. 



There is another obfervation on bees well afcertained,* that 

 they at various times, when the feafon begins to be cold, by a 

 general motion of their legs as they hang in cluflers, produce 

 a degree of warmth, which is eafily perceptible by the hand. 

 Hence by this ingenious exertion, they for a long time prevent 

 the torpid ftate they would naturally fall into 



According to the late obfervations of Mr. Hunter, it appears 

 that the beeVwax is not made from the duit of the anthers of 

 flowers, which they bring home on their thighs, but that this 

 m ikes what is termed bee-bread, and is ufed for the purpofe of 

 feeding the bee maggots ; in the fame manner butterflies live on 

 hnney, but the previous caterpillar lives on vegetable leaves, 

 while the maggots of large flies require flefli for their food, and 

 thofe of the ichneumon fly require infels for their food. What 

 induces the bee who lives on honey to lay up vegetable powder 

 for its young ? What induces the butterfly to lay its eggs on 

 leaves, when itfelf feeds on honey ? What induces the other flies 

 to feek a food for their progeny different from what they con- 

 fume themfelves ? If thefe are not deductions from their own 

 previous experience or obfervation, all the actions of mankind 

 muft be refolved into inftindl:. 



3. " The dormoufe confumes but little of its food during the 

 rigour of the feafon, for they roll themfelves up, or fleep, or lie 

 torpid the greateft part of the time ; but on warm funny days 

 experience a fhort revival, and take a little food, and then re- 

 lapfe into their former ftate. (Pennant Zoolog. p. 67.) Other 

 animals that fleep in winter without laying up any provender, 



are 



