3'3» THE PHILOSOPHY 



the foundations of new ones. In certain circumftances, when ex- 

 tremely hurried, they do not complete their new cells, but leave 

 them imperfed: till they have begun a number fufficient for their 

 prefent exigencies. When a bee puts its head a little way into a 

 cell, we eafiiy perceive it fcraping the walls with the points of its 

 tteth, in order to detach fuch ufelefs and irregular fragments as may 

 have been left in the work. Of thefe fragments the bee forms a 

 ball about ihe fize of a pin-head, comes out of the cell, and carries 

 this wax to another part of the work where it is needed. It no 

 fooner leaves the cell than it is fucceeded by another bee, which 

 performs the fame oflRce, and in this manner the work is fucceffwely 

 carried on till the cell is completely poliftied. 



The cells of bees are defigned for different purpofes. Some of 

 them are employed for the accumulation and prefervation of honey. 

 In others, the female depofits her eggs, and from thefe eggs worms 

 are hatched, which remain in the cells till their final transformation 

 into flies. The drones or males are larger than the common or 

 working bees; and the queen, or mother of the hive, is much larger 

 than either. A cell deflined for the lodgement of a male or female 

 worm muft, therefore, be confiderably larger than the cells of the 

 fmaller working bees. The number of cells deftined for the recep- 

 tion of the working bees far exceeds thofe in which the males are 

 lodged. The honey- cells are always made deeper and more capa- 

 cious than the others. When the honey colledted is fo abundant 

 that the velTels cannot contain it, the bees lengthen, and of courfe 

 deepen the honey-cells. 



Their mode of working, and the difpofition and divifion of their 

 labour, when put into an empty hive, do much honour to the fa- 

 gacity of bees. They immediately begin to lay the foundations of 

 their combs, which they execute with furprifing quicknefs and ala- 

 crity. 



