THE BEE. 



a Latin word signifying Hois^et-Gatheeees ; or Anthophila, a 

 Greek word signifying Fiowee-Lovees. 



First pair of 7 

 legs i 



Firafc pair of 



Second pair | 

 of legs > 



Prothoiax 



Mesotliorax 



- Metathorax 



Second pair ) 

 of wings / 



Third pair on 



Abdomen ' 



Fig. 1. 



11. How numerous are the varieties of tees may be conceived, 

 when it is stated that of bees found in Great Britain alone, Kirby 

 in his Monograph has enumerated 220 species, and other more 

 recent observers have increased the number to 250. The species, 

 however, which by its commercial importance, as well as by its 

 remarkable habits and social organisation, presents the greatest 

 interest, is the Hive Bee, to which, therefore, we shall chiefly 

 limit OUT notice. 



12. The Hive bee belongs to what naturalists have denominated 

 the perfect societies of insects. Each community of these insects 

 consists of three orders of individuals distinguished by their 

 number, their organisation, and the respective share they take in 

 the common labour of the society. These are denominated seve- 

 rally the queen or sovereign, the males or drones, and the workers ; 

 the latter consisting of two classes, called the wax- makers and 

 the nurses. A hive which contains as many as 60000 bees will 

 have only one queen, and not above 2000 males. 



13. The queen who, as her title implies, is the acknowledged 

 6 



