PHYSIOLOGY. 299 



with light hairs, whilst the old ones have red hairs, 

 notched and ragged wings, and are paler and more 

 shrunk in their bodies. 



The cases which I have related, and others of a 

 similar kind, have led to the erroneous opinion 

 that bees are a long-lived race. But this, as DR. 

 EVANS has observed, is just as wise as if a stranger, 

 contemplating a populous city, and personally 

 unacquainted with its inhabitants, should on pay- 

 ing it a second visit, many years afterwards, and 

 finding it equally populous, imagine that it was 

 peopled by the same individuals, not one of whom 

 might be then alive. " Such strangers are we to 

 the honied hive, where, however quickly its gene- 

 rations may have passed away, the same face is 

 presented to the beholder." 



" The race and realm from age to age remain, 

 And time but lengthens with new links the chain." 

 SOTHEBY'S GEORGICS. 



The usual term of the male's existence is two 

 or three months only ; -I say the usual term, for 

 his life is always cut off by violence, when no 

 peculiar circumstances arise to render his existence 

 any longer useful. Such circumstances having 

 arisen, as has been before observed, (page 44,) he 

 may be kept alive a much longer period, for a 

 year at least, but how much longer has not as yet 

 been ascertained. 



