90 HUMBLE CKEATURES. 



parterres^ gardens, and country hedges, or of adding 

 to the fruitfulness of our orchards. 



It is indeed most interestiug to witness the busy 

 tide of life, even at the entrance of the hive. Stand 

 and watch for a few moments, and you will see 

 worker after worker return from her journey laden 

 with bee-bread*, attached in little pellets to her hind 

 legs, which she drags laboriously after her into the 

 hive when she has ahghted upon the board whereon 

 it rests. 



And just as the stream of laden bees pours con- 

 tinuously into the hive, so is there a constant succes- 

 sion of unembarrassed workers issuing from the en- 

 trance, who wing their flight in every direction iu 

 search of blossoms, whence to extract the store of 

 materials requisite for their domestic economy. 



Should you not be afraid of the tiny weapons of 

 the little workers, but venture to approach and peep 

 into the entrance of the hivef, you will perceive a 

 number of bees standing within, and vibrating their 

 vrings with such rapidity that these members are 

 rendered almost invisible. And what think you, 

 reader, is the object of this laborious employment? 

 Why, the bees are punkah^bearers, or whatever you 

 please to call them, creating and conducting a current 

 of fresh air into the recesses of the hive, for the pur- 

 pose of reducing or equalizing its temperature ; and 



* E^aumur estimates at the rate of 100 per minute, 

 t The best safeguard is to hold in your hand a bunch of sweet- 

 scented herbs or flowers. 



