66 BKEEDING, 



esting to witness operations in a glass Mve. I have 

 seen her several times during one day, on the same 

 pieoe of comb (next the glass). The light has no 

 immediate effect on her "Highness," as she will quietly 

 continue about her duty, not the least embarrassed by 

 curious eyes at the window. Before depositing an 

 egg, she enters the cell head first, probably to ascer- 

 tain if it is in proper condition to receive it ; as a cell 

 part filled with bee-bread or honey is never used. If 

 the area of combs is small, or the family is small, and 

 cannot protect a large space with the necessary heat, 

 she will often deposit two, and sometimes three, in 

 one cell (the supernunaeraries I suppose are removed 

 by the workers) . But under prosperous circumstances, 

 with a hive of suitable size, &c., this emergency is 

 avoided. 



OPBRATION OF LAYIN& AND THE EGGS DESCRIBED. 



When a cell is in a condition to receive the egg, 

 on withdrawing her head she immediately curves 

 her abdomen, and inserts it a few seconds. After 

 leaving it, an egg may be seen attached by one end 

 to ,the bottom ; about the sixteenth of an inch in 

 length, slightly curved, very small, nearly uniform 

 the whole length, abruptly rounded at the ends, semi- 

 transparent, and covered with a very thin and ex- 

 tremely delicate coat, often breaking with the slightest 

 touch. 



After the egg has been about three days in the 

 cell, a small white worm may be seen coiled in the 

 bottomj surrounded with a nailky-lilce substance, which 



