198 miner's AMERICAN 



ting out an apperture from the lower section of the 

 frame, under the two doors. This passage may be six 

 inches long and half an inch deep, on each side of the 

 hive ; thus affording the bees the facility of passing out 

 in two directions. 



The object of a hive^of this character is, to witness 

 the operations of the different classes of bees, — to see 

 how the workers discharge their burdens — ^how the lar- 

 vse are fed, if you can — how the queen is treated by 

 drones and workers — how she deposits her eggs — her 

 treatment of young princesses, when sacrificed by her — 

 her power to excite the bees to swarm, and many other 

 interesting developments of deep interest to the scien- 

 tific apiarian. 



ruber's observatory hive. 



Huber constructed an observatory hive, consisting of 

 eight frames, hung on butt-hinges, and secured by hooks 

 and eyes when closed. There were glass windows in 

 the outside frames only. When he wished to witness 

 the labors of the bees in the interior of the hive, he 

 opened the leaves as we would those of a book. The 

 bees having become accustomed to have their hive 

 opened in this manner, were not annoyed by the opera- 

 tion. In opening the leaves of such a hive, the opera- 

 tor must be very steady in all his movements, as sudden 

 jars tend more to arouse a family of bees, than any other 

 interference with them. A hive full of bees to its great- 

 est capacity, may, at any time, be turned over carefully 

 and set down on its top, without any protection to the 



