OF NATURAL HISTORY. 345 



ofT the load, and then devour the provlfions fo kindly 

 brought to them. But, when none of the bees employed 

 in the hive are hungry for this fpecies of food, the carriers 

 of the farina depofit their loads in cells prepared for that pur- 

 pofe. To thefe cells the bees refort, when the weather is 

 fo bad that they cannot venture to go to the fields in queft 

 of frefh provilions. The carrying bees, however, commonly 

 enter the hive loaded with farina. They walk along the 

 combs beating and making a noife with their wings. By 

 thefe movements they feem to announce their arrival to their 

 companions. No fooner has a loaded bee made thefe move- 

 ments, than three or four of thofe within leave their work, 

 come up to it, and firft take off its load, and then eat the ma- 

 terials it has brought. As a farther evidence that the bees 

 actually eat the farina of flowers, when the ftomach and in- 

 teftines are laid open, they are often found to be filled with 

 this dufl, the grains of which, when examined by the mi- 

 crofcope, have the exa<^ figure, colour, and coniiftence of 

 farina, taken from the antherae of particular flowers. Aftei;, 

 the farina is digefled, and converted into wax, the bees pof- 

 fefs the power of bringing it from their ilomachs to their 

 mouths. The infirument they employ in furnifliing mate- 

 rials for conflru6ling their waxen cells is their tongue. This 

 tongue is fituated below the two teeth or fangs. When at 

 work, the tongue may be feen by the affiftance of a lens and 

 a glafs-hive. It is then in perpetual motion, and its motions 

 are extremely rapid. Its figure continually varies. Some- 

 times it is more fharp, at others it is flatter, and fometimes it 

 is more or lefs concave, and partly covered with a mo'ft 

 pafte or wax. By the different movements of its tongue the 

 bee continues to fupply frefh wax to the two teeth, whicli 

 are employed in raifing and faihloning the walls of its cell, 

 till they have acquired a fufhcient height. As foon as the 

 moift pafle or wax dries, which it does almoft iriHantane- 



