34° 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



chyle with animal or vegetable fubflances, a work which is daily 

 executed by our own ftomach and inteftines, and by thofe of other 

 animals. Reaumur llkewile difcovered, that ail the cells in a hive 

 were not deftined for the reception of honey, and for depofiting the 

 eggs of the female, but that fome of them were employed as recep- 

 tacles for the farina of flowers, a fpecies of food that bees find ne- 

 celTary for the formation of wax, which is the great bafis and raw 

 material of all their curious operations. When a bee comes to the 

 hive with its thighs filled with farina, it is often met near the en- 

 trance by fome of its companions, who firft takeoff the load, and 

 then devour the provifions fo kindly brought to them. But, when 

 none of the bees employed in the hive are hungry for this fpecies 

 of food, the carriers of the farina depofit their loads in cells prepared 

 for that purpofe. To thefe cells the bees refort, when the weather 

 is fo bad that they cannot venture to go to the fields in queft of frefh 

 provifions. The carrying bees, however, commonly enter the hive 

 loaded with farina. They walk along the combs beating and ma- 

 king a noife with their wings. By thefe movements they feem to 

 announce their arrival to their companions. No fooner has a load- 

 ed bee made thefe movements, than three or four of thofe within 

 leave their work, corns up to it, and firft take off its load, and then 

 eat the materials it has brought. As a farther evidence that the 

 bees adlually eat the farina of flowers, when the ftomach and intef- 

 tines are laid open, they are often found to be filled with this duft, 

 the grains of which, when examined by the microfcope, have the 

 exadt figure, colour, and confiftence of farina, taken from the an- 

 iherae of particular flowers. After the farina is digefted, and con- 

 verted into wax, the bees poflefs the power of bringing it from 

 their flomachs to their mouths. The inflrument they employ in 

 furnifhing materials for conflruding their waxen cells is their tongue. 

 This tongue is fituated below the two teeth or fangs. When at 

 work, the, tongue may be feen by the alHIlance of a lens and a glafs- 



bive,. 



