94 BEE PASTURAGE. 



bees while gathering it, that I never yet saw noticed. 

 I had observed during the period this plant was in 

 bloom, that a number of the bees belonging to swarms, 

 before the hive was full, were unable to ascend the 

 sides to the comb ; there would be- sometimes thirty 

 or more at the bottom in the morning. On searching 

 for the cause, I found from one to ten thin yellow 

 scales, attached to their feet, triangular, or somewhat 

 we_dge shape, in size about the twentieth part of an 

 inch. On the longest point or angle, was a black thread- 

 like point, from a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in 

 length; on this stem was either hooks, barbs, or a 

 glutinous matter, that firmly adhered to each foot or 

 claw of the bee, rendering it useless as far as cligibing 

 the sides of the hive was concerned. I found also 

 among bees clustered outside of full hives, this orna- 

 ment attached, but to them it appeared no inconveni- 

 ence. Among the scales of wax and waste matter 

 that accumulates about the swarms to the amount of 

 _, a handful, I found a great many of these scales, 

 which the bees had worked from their feet. The 

 question then arose, were these scales a foreign sub- 

 stance, accidentally entangled in their claws, or was it 

 something formed there by nature, or rather an un- 

 natural appendage ? It was soon decided. From the 

 number of bees carrying it, I was satisfied that if it 

 was the product of any flower, it belonged to a 

 species somewhat abundant. I set about a close 

 examination of all such as were then in bloom. 

 I found the flowers of the Silkweed, (or Milkweed, 

 as some call it,) sometimes holding a dead bee by the 



