Inhabitants oi< the hive. ao 



an impossible dream. The electric telegraph brings 

 people far away into instant communication with one 

 another. And every day fresh discoveries are made 

 by those who carefully study and observe. 



And as with great things, such as steam and 

 electricity, so it has been with the little subject of 

 bees. Many things are known now which were not 

 known a few years ago, and fresh things are being 

 found out even now continually ; and everything that 

 is so discovered makes their history, habifs, instincts, 

 and uses, appear more and more wonderful, giving 

 us more and more insight into the marvels of crea- 

 tion, and making us feel all the more the truth of 

 what the Psalmist says, ' How manifold are Thy 

 works ! in wisdom hast Thou made them all.' 



In order to understand some of these discoveries 

 you will have to give much attention ; for the lessons 

 about them will not be altogether easy; but at present 

 we will only think of simple things. 



And first of all, we will go to a hive, standing in 

 some garden near at hand, and ask the bees to tell 

 us a little of their history, taking care to go to them 

 quietly and to treat them with gentleness. And our 

 first inquiry must be this : ' Who is at home .'' ' and, in 

 the next place, ' What have you got inside your hive ?' 



To these questions what answer shall we get ? 

 Well, it will a good deal depend upon the time of 

 year, both as regards the number of inhabitants and 

 the description of bee, as well the contents of the 

 combs ; for, in the first place, whether the hive is one 

 of English bees, or one of Italian, Cyprian, or any 

 other race, we shall always in summer time — if it is a 



