Longevity of the Honey Bee. 57 



a good specific distinction between it and the sprat ; but it will be 

 found that this is not the case, for a herring less than six inches in 

 length is as distinctly serrated on the belly with thirty-six teeth,* 

 between the ventral and anal fins, as a sprat of equal size ; but as 

 the herring increases in size, so the serratures become obliterated, 

 and, by the time the fish reaches to the length of eight inches, the 

 belly will be found to be no longer serrated, but carinated. 



The most prominent specific distinction of the herring, from the 

 sprat, white-bait, and pilchard, is in the position of the dorsal fin, 

 which is placed exactly in the middle of the fish, half way between 

 the point of the upper jaw, and the end of the longest caudal ray. 



Dr Knox considers the food of the herring, while inhabiting the 

 depths of the ocean, to consist principally of minute entomostracous 

 animals ; but it is certainly less choice (adds Mr Yarrell) in its se- 

 lection when near the shore. Dr Neill found five young herrings 

 in the stomach of a large female herring ; he has also known them 

 to be taken by the fishermen on their lines, the hooks of which were 

 baited with limpets. I have often found the young of the white-bait 

 and small shrimps in the stomach of herrings when they were not 

 in roe ; but when they are about to spawn their stomachs (as is ob- 

 served in most other fishes at that period,) appear as if empty and 

 destitute of any perceptible food. On the authority of Dr Fleming 

 the fry have even been caught with a trout-fly. t 



April 18, 1836. 



VI. — The Honey-Bee community. Length of life allotted to its dif- 

 ferent members. By Edward Bevan, M. D. 



This is a subject upon which, I believe, no precise information 

 has ever been presented to the public. " Cool courage and steady 

 perseverance, crowned with unincumbered leisure," says Dr Evans, 

 " can alone expect to unlock this curious arcanum in Natural His- 

 tory." 



The opinions of the ancients respecting it were extremely vague 

 and indefinite. The length of life allotted by them to the working 



* The serratures can be more evidently perceived when the abdominal scales 

 are removed (as in Fig. 3.) which often project beyond the teeth, and prevent 

 their points from being felt, when the ringer is passed from the anal fin towards 

 the pectorals. 



•f- On the coasts of the West Highlands, herrings for many years past have been 

 taken with the rod, the hook dressed with a white feather (generally from 

 some of the gulls.) Near Oban, and upon the shores of Mull and Jura, twelve 

 dozens are sometimes taken by a single boat during the evening. — Ed. 



