128 AUSTRALASIAN 
ing sight of their future surroundings, is indeed interesting. 
Hives for observatory purposes can be so constructed as to 
allow of the interior being examined at pleasure by the most 
timid person without disturbing or exciting the bees. 
The most simple form of this hive may be made to hold one 
frame only, but for several reasons I prefer one that will take 
pian” 
"al Wet 
’ 
ces 
Fig. 52.—_OBSERVATORY HIVES, 
three. The engraving represents the one I have in use. This, 
as will be seen, has three leaves (cases), each of which holds an 
ordinary Langstroth frame. ‘The centre one is a fixture, while 
the two outside leaves may be opened to allow of both sides of 
each comb being inspected. The woodwork of the cases is 
made of battens 2in. wide by lin. thick; a narrow groove to 
take the glass sides is run along each inner edge, so that the 
sides may be just 1gin. apart, the length and height of each 
case inside being the same as a Langstroth hive. A one-inch 
hole should be bored out of the bottom of the front end of each 
face to form an entrance for the bees. Next cut an entrance 
3in. deep in the bottom board, somewhat like an ordinary 
entrance ; then over the back part of this tack a flat piece on 
tin having two tubes, lin. in diameter and lin. high, soldered on 
