TOE C0MIJ3.] THE MANAOKMENT OK TIIH Al'lAKV. 



[sWAItMINO, 



and furze, the lime avoduos, the clover 



meadows, and tlio broad acres of beaii-nolda 

 ill which it tinda its delij^ht, aud from which it 

 cuUa the sweets with which it stores its colls. 



CONSTRUCTION OF THE COMBS. 



Boos almost invariably commence building 

 their combs from the top, contiuuinu; it down- 

 ward, as far as they have room; and iinishiiig 

 it oil" at the bottom in a somewhat irrej^ular 

 curved line. Each comb possesses a double 

 set of honey-cells, dos-ii-dos, in a horizontal 

 position. These are the receptacles of the 

 eggs which tlie queen lays, and which are con- 

 structed, not with propolis, but with wax. To 

 sustain them iu common straw hives, cross- 

 sticks are employed, round which the labours 

 of the bees are carried on, so tliat the comb 

 is often almost laid in ruins in detaching it 

 from these wooden supports. This circum- 

 stance, however, has, in a great measure, been 

 obviated by fixing a small piece of comb under 

 several removable bars, and inducing the bees 

 to work upon them. Huber, we believe, was 

 the first to accomplish this. He fixed a small 

 piece of comb under each of the bars, exactly 

 parallel. The bees then followed their leader, 

 so tliat any one of the pendant combs could be 

 lifted upon the bar : this again replaced, and 

 the bees once more set to work. This point, 

 from which they commence their operations, is 

 called the guide-comb ; and the hive itself, 

 though somewhat modified, is the same as 

 that of the Greek islands. In constructing 

 the combs, it is observed, in the Naturalist's 

 Library, that the two classes of tcax-icorkers 

 and nurse-lees have tlieir separate and distinct 

 provinces. " That of the former is to supply 

 the rough materials, and attach them coarsely 

 together; and that of the latter to finish aud 

 perfect the edifice. And while these last are 

 occupied in this more refined operation of 

 finishing and polishing, the former, like in- 

 dustrious labourers, are continually bringing 

 forward additional loads of materials. One 

 comb is scarcely begun, or contains not more 

 than two or three rows of cells, when the busy 

 architects proceed to lay the foundations of 

 two others, one on each side of that already 

 founded ; continuing their operations in this 

 manner till they have taken in the whole 

 range of their building ground ; and with such 



diligence do thoy ply their labouru, that in 

 one day they will construct no fewer than 

 4,000 cells. A comb mcaaures, in thicknesH, 

 generally one incii ; and tlio iutorval bctwicu 

 them is about ont'-third of an incli, allordiiig 

 a passage for two bees, back to back, without 

 obstruction or inconvenience. These dimen- 

 sions, however, are varied according to circum- 

 stances." 



Tin: FORMATION OF SWARMS. 

 The breeding season of the bee begins about 

 the end of January, or early in Pi-bruury, and 

 continues throughout the summer with con- 

 stantly augmenting progress and activity. The 

 population, therefore, increases with amaz- 

 ing rapidity ; and the heat of the hive 

 rises to such a degree, as to be frequently 

 above 100". This, doubtless, coupled with 

 the want of accommodation, hastens the 

 swarming, although the jealousy and out- 

 rageously destructive propensities of the royul 

 mother is said to be another of the prin- 

 cipal causes. The commencement of the 

 swarming season is iu spring, as no swarm will 

 ever take place while the weather is cold, or 

 until the hive is well stocked with pggs of 

 every description. The queen, in consequence 

 of the vast number of eggs she has parted 

 with, is now more slender than she was, and 

 better adaped to make an excursion through 

 the air. " Her aversion to the royal brood 

 which she seems to foresee will in no long time 

 become able to dispute the throne w ith her, and 

 the vain attempts she makes to destroy them 

 in the cradle, in which she is invariably re- 

 pelled by the bees who guard them, produce 

 in her a constant restlessness and agitation, 

 which, as Huber represents it, rises to a degree 

 of delirium." This frenzy acts upon the 

 workers ; a tumultuous noise resounds through 

 the hive, and everything gives token of a 

 change. This occurs a few days before the 

 swarm actually takes wing, whilst provisions 

 are being collected in larger quantity by the 

 workers. Mr. Knight, in the Fhilosophical 

 Transactions, gives a curious account of their 

 manoeuvres about this time. In the cavity of 

 a hollow tree, which, by the application of a 

 board, had been fitted up for the reception of 

 the swarms, ho constantly observed, "that 

 about fourteen days previous to their arrival, 



1)09 



