THE BEE. 



education of this person ; but nature had bestowed upon him 

 faculties which, with better opportunities, would have rendered 

 him an eminent naturalist. Huber commenced by employing him 

 as a reader. 



He read to his master various works on physics, and, among 

 others, those of Reaumur, in which the admirable observations of 

 that naturalist on the bee are so clearly and beautifully stated. 

 Huber soon perceived by the observations and reflections of his 

 reader, and by the consequences he deduced from what he read, 

 that he had at his disposition no ordinary person, and resolved to 

 profit by him. He accordingly procured the means of prosecut- 

 ing a series of observations on the economy of the bee, with the 

 aid of the eyes, the hands, and the intelligence of Burnens. All 

 the observations of Reaumur were first repeated, and the accord- 

 ance of the phenomena, as described by Burnens, with those 

 which had been recorded by Reaumur, gave Huber full confi- 

 dence ; and the master and servant, quitting the beaten path, 

 entered upon new ground, and during a period of fifteen years, 

 prosecuted those researches in the natural history and economy of 

 the bee, which, being committed to writing by the hand of Bur- 

 nens at the dictation of Huber, were published in one volume 

 about 1792, in form of letters addressed by Huber to Bonnet. 



6. Soon after this, Huber lost his invaluable colleague, for 

 servant he had long ceased to be. Burnens was recalled by 

 family ties to his native place, where the personal estimation in 

 which he was held caused him to be raised to a high position in 

 the local magistracy. 



Previously to this, Huber had the good fortune to consolidate his 

 domestic happiness by marriage. * ' My separation from my faithful 

 and zealous Burnens," said Huber, " which was not the least cruel 

 of the misfortunes with which I was visited, was, however, softened 

 by the satisfaction which I felt in observing Nature through the eyes 

 of the being who was dearest to me, and with whom I could com- 

 mune with pleasure on the most elevated topics. But what more 

 than all the rest contributed to attach me to natural history, was 

 the taste manifested by my son for that subject. I explained to 

 him the results of my observations and researches. He expressed 

 the regret he felt that labours which would, as it seemed to him, 

 so deeply interest naturalists should remain buried in my port- 

 folio. Perceiving, meanwhile, the secret repugnance that T felt 

 against the task of reducing them to order, he proposed to take 

 charge of that labour." 



7. From that time our great naturalist was again consoled, by 

 having at his disposal two pair of eyes in place of one. The wife 

 and the son, animated by a common enthusiasm, and urged by 



4 



