H^ THE BEE. 



to touch It. In a fingle daj or two after being placed 

 there, it produces a worm, which the working bees take 

 care to fupply with fuitable food, confifting of a whitifh 

 liquor, which ferves it at once for fubfiftence and a bed j 

 for it lies upon it, folded up like a ring. In the fpace 

 of fix or feven dajs more, the whole of its growth is 

 completed ; and the bees, who know the time at which 

 it no longer needs to be fupplied with food,^ ceafe to 

 carry it any more. The lad oiTice which they render it, 

 is clofnig up the mouth of the cell, which is done w'ith 

 wax. 



In the mean time, the young animal within, which 

 hitherto was almoil entirely iiiaclive, begins to fpin filk, 

 and line the infide of its habitation, as a preparative to its 

 entering into the chryfalis ftate, in which it for a while 

 remains. Thus, in the fpace of about three weeks after 

 it was firft dropped into the cell, the young bee is rea^y 

 to make Its appearance as a winged animal. The firft 

 employment, after it has arrived at that period, is to 

 gnaw off the v^ax with which the mouth of its cell had 

 been flopped up. On its nrfl iffuing from the cell, the 

 whole body is wet with the humid fubftance of the cell ; 

 but the aft'tftionate bees flock around, and with their 

 trunks aflift it in wiping oft' the moillure. The wings 

 grow dry, and the limbs firm ; and in the courfe of the 

 fame day, it iffues forth with the labourers to collect wax 

 and Ijoney, and thereby to make returns to the focicty 

 for the care with which it has been reared. 



Thus, after the commencement of fumroer, the number 

 of bees daily continues to increafe, till, by the month of 

 'June^ they have become fo numerous, that the fame hive 

 can no longer contain them. The only meafure v.hich 



then 



