OF THE HUMBLE-BEE. 69 



creeping out of the chrysalis coat which covered them in this state. 

 It requires a great deal of labour to get out of the cell ; they are 

 obliged to tear and destroy the upper end with their lateral teeth or 

 pincers : we can hear them at work before they have made an opening ; 

 and when their heads have got through, but not their body, they 

 work at the edges to enlarge it. As the maggot is constantly enclosed 

 in this mass of farina, it is not so easy to say when it changes into the 

 chrysalis state, but now as it forms a well-formed cell for itself its 

 progress is more detectable. In the common bee, wasp, &c, the change 

 is known by their covering the mouths of their cells ; but in the 

 humble-bee they enclose or line the cell of farina. These cells, from 

 whence the young bees have emerged, I have observed become a de- 

 posit for honey for the whole hive in wet weather, and for the young 

 bees that are bred in future. As the cells are to contain honey, they 

 are strong and durable in their substance ; but that it might retain 

 fluid honey, it is lined with a substance ; and to render the honey more 

 secure, they often cover over the mouths of their cells ; likewise deepen 

 many by raising their edges with the same kind of substance that forms 

 the first cell or globe. 



When the young bee comes from the cell the hair is wet, but it soon 

 dries. Those parts which are (afterwards) of a dun or brown colour, are 

 at this time white, but in a short time they become brown. For some 

 time the young bee seems incapable of flying, and is provided by the 

 mother with honey, which they begin to lap as soon as they emerge 

 from the cell: indeed I have put honey before them when only the 

 head was through, and they have lapped it up : but they are soon able 

 to assist the mother in collecting materials for the further support of 

 the increasing family. The dab of farina, which she placed on one of 

 the edges of the square mass of chrysalis -cells in which she deposited 

 her eggs, is kept increasing as the maggot grows ; she goes through the 

 same process as before, forming another batch of cells on this edge, 

 which does not accord with the first mass in regularity in any way. 



The queen is now assisted by this her first offspring of labourers : 

 they assist in bringing in honey to fill their own cells from whence 

 they came ; they also bring in farina for a new or third offspring, which 

 is placed upon another edge at the top, or on the top of one of the 

 chrysalis-cells into which she deposits her eggs, which goes through all 

 the above-described processes ; and, while the chrysalis is completing in 

 the second batch, they are placing their dabs of farina on them for a 

 fourth : and so they go on increasing their number of batches, as also 

 the cells in the same proportion. 



This mode of increase of cells by different batches obliges them to be 



