VENTILATION. lS3 



In a medical point of view, I consider these facts as iiigh- 

 ly interesting ; sliowing as they do, under what circumstan- 

 ces, and how speedily, disease may be produced. 



In very hot weather, if thin hives are exposed to the sun's 

 rays, the bees are excessively annoyed by the intense heat, 

 and have recourse to the most powerful ventilation, not 

 merely to keep the air of the hive pure, but to carry off, 

 as much as possible, its internal warmth. They often leave 

 the interior of the hive, almost in a body, and in thick mas- 

 ses, cluster 01}^ the outside, not simply to escape the close 

 heat within, but to guard their combs against the danger of 

 being dissolved. At such times they are particularly care- 

 ful not to cluster on the combs containing sealed honey ; 

 for as most of these combs have not been lined with the 

 cocoons of the larvae, they are, for this reason, as well as 

 on account of the extra amount of wax used for their cov- 

 ers, much more liable to be melted, than the breeding cells. 



Apiarians have often noticed the fact, that as a general 

 thing, the bees leave the honey cells almost entirely bare, as 

 soon as they have sealed them over ; but it seems to have es- 

 caped their observaiion, that in hot weather, there is often 

 an absolute necessity for such a course. In cool weather, 

 on the contrary, the bees may often be found clustered 

 among the sealed honey-combs, because there is then no 

 danger of their melting down. 



Few things in the range of their wonderful instincts, are 

 so well fitted to impress the mind with their admirable sa- 

 gacity, as the truly scientific device, by which these wise 

 little insects ventilate their dwellings. I was on the point 

 of saying that it was almost like human reason, when the pain- 

 ful and mortifying reflection presented itself to my mind 

 that in respect to ventilation, the bee is immensely in ad- 

 vance of the great mass of those who consider themselves 

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