120 



OBSERVATION OF BEES. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



MORE ABOUT THE OBSERVATION OF BEES. 



In a former chapter I spoke of the importance of 

 keeping our eyes open, and that, if we do so, we shall 

 see wonders all around us ; and I spoke of Huber, the 

 great observer of bees, and how he discovered many 



things although blind. 

 But I suppose we should 

 never have known many 

 of the facts of which I 

 have told you,withoutthe 

 help of what are called 

 ' Observatory Hives.' 

 Such a hive is made, as 

 you see in the illustra- 

 tion, with glass slides or 

 large windows, and of 

 such little depth between 

 back and front that it 

 will not hold two combs 

 side by side. There is, 

 however, just room for 

 one comb between the 

 two glass sides or windows ; and the consequence 

 is that every bee in the hive can be seen, either on 

 one side or the other. The glass sides have wooden 

 shutters ; but the bees soon get accustomed to having 

 them open, and go on working away as usual while 

 you are looking at them closely. 



Observatory Hive. 



