70 NATURAL HISTORY 



very irregular ; for although each batch has a kind of corresponding- 

 regularity respecting itself, yet it has none respecting that on which it 

 is placed ; so that by the time that they have done breeding, the whole 

 makes a very irregular mass of cells, the first cells being undermost ; 

 and as new ones become completed by the successive births, they are 

 neglected, and, from their situation, they are allowed to moulder away, 

 and often they become the nidus for the eggs of flies. 



To ascertain with accuracy the circumstances attending their in- 

 crease, I continued the before-mentioned mode of enticing them to 

 proper places, from which I had an opportunity of examining a great 

 number of hives at different periods from each other, so as to bring out 

 what was going on. 



When we observe the progress of the hives only, we find that the 

 first and second tier of chrysalises in their cell are very small, being 

 those of labourers ; that the second or third tier are larger, which are 

 principally males ; and that the succeeding and upper tier are com- 

 posed of much larger chrysalises, which are the young queens. The 

 female labourers are of very different sizes ; the males are all nearly of 

 the same size, as has been already observed. After the queen has made 

 some progress in the hive, we find two kinds of females with males ; 

 therefore there may be said to be in each hive three different kinds of 

 bees, having three periods for their production and lives. The small 

 females and the males are produced first, and the queens last. In the 

 month of June we find nothing but small bees, but in July, especially 

 about the latter end, we find the large chrysalis -pods, and also young- 

 queens. 



I before observed that the hay, moss, &c. placed to attract the 

 humble-bees was dryer than the hay in similar situations without the 

 bees ; this is owing to a greater degree of heat in this inhabited place 

 than the heat of the part abstracted from them. I found the difference 

 near twenty degrees. We may observe, that no insects inhabit such 

 nests ; the place shall be surrounded with ants, grubs, &c, but none go 

 among the hay or cells ; but the moment such a nest is forsaken, the 

 honey, maggots, or chrysalises are immediately devoured. 



Of the Food of the Maggot Humble-bee. — It must have appeared, from 

 what has been already said respecting the progress of propagation, that 

 the farina of plants, which they bring in on their legs, is the food of the 

 maggot, for I have found it in the stomach of the maggot ; but it often 

 seems to differ from that on the legs in consistence, although I have 

 found it in some the same to appearance, being very different in different 

 bees as they are collecting it. It does not dry as the farina does, but 

 keeps nearly of the same moisture, similar to the bee-bread. Probably 



