THE BEE. J 1.9 



pofe, that boats florsd with hives v/ere fet afloat on th« 

 NilCf gradually bringing the infects within the reach of 

 frefh food as the old was exhaufted. A firailar method 

 was fome time ago praftifed in France by a perfon- who 

 had fix or feven hundred hives in his poffeflionf. 



Such are the outlines of the hiftory of the domeilic 

 bee, an infedl to which we are indebted for two material 

 articles of our enioya:»eat, wax and honey. The genus 

 of infefts to which it belongs is diftinguillied into fifty- 

 five different fpecies, all differing in their manners, as 

 well as their external form. Their common charailers, 

 in which they all agree, are, a mouth farniPaed with jaws 

 and a probofcis, inclining towards the bodj', and inciofed 

 in a fheath ; wings which are extended, and without 

 foJds ; three ftemmata on the head, and flings carried ia 

 the other extremity by neuters. 



Apis mellifica, the domefiic neuter bee. This animal 

 is fo generally known, that no defcription of its parts is 

 necefTary. 



Apis mas, the 7nale bee. This fpecies has no fting, 

 nor are its feet or roflrum fitted for the colle£lion of wax 

 or honey : it is larger than the common working bee : it 

 hovers upon fiov/ers ; and its only office is impregnating 

 the female. 



Apis regina, the queen bee. This animal is eafily di~ 

 ninguilhed by her great length of body, and the fliortnefs 

 of her wings, Vvhicli (he never ufes but when employed, 

 in leading oat a young fwarm. 



Apis mufcorum, the humming bee J. The three for- 

 mer infefts, as they breed together, may all be deemed of 



the 



f Reaumur, Tome V, Pref. p. 40. 

 I Syft, Nat. Ord. V. Gen. vi i. f>5. 4^. 



