OBSERVING HIVES. 437 



used in Ihe course of half an hour, as it speedily hardens. 

 The hive may be used for a swarm of bees as soon as the 

 paint stiffens." 



Movable-Comb Observing Hives. 



Those who wish to study the Natural History of the 

 honey-bee, to the best advantage, or to witness its wonderful 

 works and instincts, will find extraordinary facilities for the 

 most reliable investigations and examinations, furnished 

 through the use of my observing hives. Each comb in these 

 hives, as well as in all my others, being attached to a movable 

 frame, admits of safe and easy removal. In this respect its 

 construction differs entirely from that of all other observing 

 hives. As both sides of every comb, in observing hives,- 

 admit of inspection, every bee can be seen, and all the won- 

 ders of the bee-hive may be exposed, not only to the full 

 light of day, (p. 24,) but to the brightest glare of lamps or 

 gas. 



When bees are first put into such a hive and exposed to 

 the light, they exhibit great uneasiness, making every effort 

 to pass through the glass sides. This is all very natural, as 

 in their wild state, having no knowledge of a transparent 

 substance, the admission of light is equivalent to the admis- 

 sion of undue heat, cold and wet, all of which would be 

 utterly destructive to their welfare.* They soon, however, 

 become accustomed to the new order of things, and will then 

 no more attempt to get through the glass sides of their hive, 

 than an old denizen of Broadway or Chestnut Street, on one 

 of those fashionable promenades, would mistake a plate-glass 

 window, for a door. 



• Some hare imagined that darkness is necessary for the proper de- 

 velopment of their young ; but this is found to be a mistake. 

 37* 



