158 ' PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1792. 



quence of which they have been brought into climates, where of themselves they 

 would not have come. 



Insects are so small, and so few of them are capable of being domesticated, 

 that the duration of their life is not easily ascertained ; therefore we are to rely 

 more on circumstantial, than on positive or demonstrative proof; and perhaps 

 the life of the common bee may be least in our power to know, for their num- 

 bers in the same society make it almost impossible to be ascertained. From their 

 forming a colony, or society, which keeps stationary, the continuance of this so- 

 ciety is known, but to what age the individual lives, is not known ; we are certain 

 however that it is only the labourers and queens that continue the society, for the 

 males die the same year they are formed. From their fixing on the branches of 

 trees, under projecting exposed surfaces, when they swarm, we should be inclined 

 to suppose that they were animals of a warm climate ; yet their providing liberally 

 for the change of climate, or rather for a change of season, would, on the con- 

 trary, make us believe they were adapted for changeable climates ; or rather, 

 these 2 circumstrjices should make us suppose they were fitted for both ; and 

 their universality proves it. And I do conceive that, in a pretty uniform warm 

 climate, their economy may be somewhat different from what it is in the change- 

 able, as ihev would not be under the same necessity to lay up so much store, and 

 probably might employ their cells in breeding, for a much longer period : how- 

 ever, a good climate agrees with them best, as also a good season in an indiffer- 

 ent climate, such as Britain. We find the common bee in Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 and America. That they may be, or should be in the 3 first, is easily supposed, 

 but how they came to America is not so readily conceived ; for, though a kind 

 of manageable animal, yet they do not like such long confinement in their hives 

 as would carry them to the West Indies, excepting in an ice-house ; for when I 

 have endeavoured to confine them in their hives, they have been so restless as to 

 destroy themselves. 



The female and the working bee, I believe, in every species have stings, which 

 renders them an animal of offence, indeed, but rather of defence ; for though 

 they make an attack, I believe it is by way of defence, excepting when they at- 

 tack each other, which is seldom or never with their stings. As this belongs 

 more to the labourers, it shall be considered when I treat of them in particular. 

 Of the whole bee tribe, the common bee is the easiest irritated; fur as they have 

 property, they are jealous of it, and seem to defend it ; but when not near it, they 

 are quiet, and must be hurt before they will sling; with all this disposition for 

 defence, which is only to secure their property, or theinselves, when more closelr 

 attacked, yet they have no covetousness or a disposition to obstruct others. Thus, 

 2 bees or more will be sucking at the same flower, without the first possessor 



