294 APPENDIX. 



run cold out of cells which the bees had already closed. 

 On the 5th of September I stupefied the bees, by means 

 of puff-ball, and counted them. Their number was 2,765, 

 and they weighed 10 oz. I next weighed the hive, the 

 combs of which were well filled with honey, but the cells 

 not yet closed ; noted the weight, and then allowed the 

 honey to be carried off by a strong swarm of bees. This 

 was completely effected in a few hours. I now weighed 

 it a second time, and found it 12oz. lighter ; consequently 

 the bees still had in the hive 12 oz. of the 29 oz. of honey 

 given to them. I next extracted the combs, and found 

 that their weight was | of an ounce. I then placed the 

 bees in another box, provided with empty combs, and 

 fed them with the same honey as before. In the first few 

 days they lost daily rather more than 1 oz. in weight, and 

 afterwards half an ounce daily, which was owing to the 

 circumstance, that from the digestion of so much honey, 

 their intestinal canal was loaded with excrements ; for 

 1,170 bees, in autumn, when they have been but a short 

 time confined to the hive, weigh 4 oz. ; consequently 

 2,765 bees should weigh 9 oz. But they actually weigh- 

 ed 10 oz., and therefore had within them 1 oz. of excre- 

 ment, for their honey bladders were empty. During the 

 night the weight of the box did not diminish at all, be- 

 cause the small quantity of honey the bees had deposited 

 in the cells, having already the proper consistence, could 

 not lose weight by evaporation, and because the bees 

 could not then get rid of their excrements. For this 

 reason, the loss of weight occurred always during the 

 day. 



If, then, the bees, in seven days, required 3J oz. of 



