3°6 FIRST LESSONS IN ZOOLOGY 



the hind most legs of a dead bee and also the trowel-like 

 jaws. Make drawings. Watch carefully the growth of 

 the new comb. Of what shape are the new ceils.'' Are 

 they all of the same size.'' Is the bottom of each cell 

 flat.'' How arc those of the two opposite layers of which 

 the comb is composed related to each other.'' 



Note several bees standing in the covered entrance to 

 the hive and steadil)^ and rapidly vibrating their wings. 

 The}' are "ventilating " — that is, making currents of air 

 so that fresh air will constantly flow into the hive and 

 foul air out. Ventilating bees may also be seen scat- 

 tered through the hive. A movement of air through 

 the comb is necessary for the honey-making as well as for 

 ventilation. The nectar as it is gathered from flowers 

 and poured out into cells from the crops of the food- 

 gathering bees is too watery to be good honey, and must 

 be partly evaporated. The ventilation assists largely in 

 its evaporation. Touching the hand to the glass sides 

 note that the interior of the hive is warmer on a cold day 

 than the outer air. This is because the bees, when nec- 

 essary, buzz violently to make themselves unusually warm 

 and thus raise the temperature of the hive. When young 

 bees are being reared the hive must always be kept 

 warm. Note the bees clustering thickly over the brood- 

 cells, i.e., the cells containing young. 



Can }-ciu note an\' difference in the appearance of the 

 various individuals.'' Arc there some which do not 

 work.' Are all the cells filled with honey or pollen.^ If 

 not, what is put into the other cells.' The correct an- 

 swer to these ciucstions brings us to the consideration of 

 the bees' development or life-histor)-, and tlie make-up of 

 the communit}-. Some of the facts in the following brief 

 account can be readily observed by the pupils, but some 

 cannot. jXs many of the following statements as possible 

 should be confirmed by observation. 



