160 Insect Architecture. 



contain honey, bee-bread, and grubs ; and in each hive there 

 are generally several of these cells in different stages of 

 structure. Figs. 5 and 6 represent the proportionate sizes 

 of the cells which contain the drone and worker bees.] 



The architecture of the hive, which we have thus detailed, 

 is that of bees receiving the aid of human care, and having 

 external coverings of a convenient form, prepared for their 

 reception. In this country bees are not found in a wild 

 state ; though it is not uncommon for swarms to stray from 

 their proprietors. But these stray swarms do not spread 

 colonies through our woods, as they are said to do in 

 America. In the remoter parts of that continent there 

 are no wild bees. They precede civilization ; and thus 

 when the Indians observe a swarm they say, "The white 

 man is coming." There is evidence of bees having abounded 

 in these islands, in the earlier periods of our history ; and 

 Ireland is particularly mentioned by the Venerable Bede as 

 being " rich in milk and honey." * The hive-bee has formed 

 an object of economical culture in Europe at least for two 

 thousand years ; and Varro describes the sort of hives used 

 in his time, 1870 years ago. We are not aware, however, 

 that it is now to be found wild in the milder clime of 

 Southern Europe, any more than it is in our own island. 



The wild bees of Palestine principally hived in rocks. 

 " He made him," says Moses, " to suck honey out of the 

 rock."f " With honey out of the rock," says the Psalmist, 

 " should I have satisfied thee." { In the caves of Salsette 

 and Elephanta, at the present day, they hive in the clefts 

 of the rocks, and the recesses among the fissures, in such 

 numbers as to become very troublesome to visitors. Their 

 nests hang in innumerable clusters. 



We are told of a little black stingless bee found in the 

 island of Guadaloupe, which hives in hollow trees or in 

 the cavities of rocks by the sea-side, and lays " up honey 



* " Hibernia dives lactis ac mellis insula." Beda, Hist. Eccles. i. 7. 



} Deut. xxxii. 13. J Psalm Ixxxi. 16. 



Forbes, Orien. Mem. i. 



