346 [ASSEMBLT 



JYovemher 21, 1854. 

 Present— Messrs. Geo. Bacon, Hon. Robert Swift Livingston, 

 Prof. J. J. Mapes, Paul Stillman, Dr. Waterbury, Messrs. Waring, 

 Vail, Lowe, Griffing, of Jersey, Dr. Church, Mr. Coleman, of 

 Brooklyn, Peter B. Mead, Corresponding Secretary of the Ameri- 

 can Institute, Thomas B. Stillman, Mr. Tousey, Hon. E,. S. Liv- 

 ingston, and others— forty members. 

 Hon. Robert Swift Livingston in the chair. Henry Meigs, Sec'y. 



The Secretary read the following papers translated and prepared 

 by him from the works received by the Institute since the la«t 

 meeting, viz : 



From Alexander Vattemare, Sept j 1854. Among a number of 

 valuable works, the Institute lias received from him. Guide de 

 L'Apiculture, (Bee Keeper's Guide.) By M. Debeauvoys, mem- 

 ber of many learned societies. Paris, 1851. 



PHYSIOLOGY OF BEES. 



1. Bees accumulate provisions in their hives, of various quali- 

 ties for winter, for they are wide awake all that, season ; and the 

 larvee from the eggs continually laid by the queen in great num- 

 bers, are to be fed. 



2. Authors have distinguished four kinds of bees, but only two 

 kinds are well known. The first of these two is of a blackish 

 color, of extra size, laborious, easily managed, but inferior to the 

 second species. The second species, known by the name of The 

 Little Dutch Lady, is smaller, of a yellowish, brown, reddish 

 color, is lively, ardent, active in work, and good humored. 



These two species are sometimes found in the same hive, but 

 there are whole districts and countries where only one sort of 

 them appears. Each swarm has a queen, and males and work- 

 men of the same nature as the queen, but sterile on account of 

 the education they reeeive. The queen alone has charge of lay- 

 ing the eggs, (for several consecutive years,) enough to sustain 

 the number of the swarm, to supply the losses of life of the field 

 workers. 



