INTAODUCTION. xi 
perience. At the same time, I have not 
omitted to notice such alledged discoveries or 
results of experiments, as appear to me to be 
unsupported by sufficient evidence, or at 
variance with experiments of my own, made 
for the express purpose of verification, leav- 
ing it to the reader to receive or reject them, 
as his judgment may dictate. 
I have availed myself of the information 
dispersed throughout a variety of publica- 
tions, both ancient and modern, with such 
additions of my own, as have been acquired 
by the observation of Bees for a period of 
many years. I trust that the facts detailed, 
will, of themselves, lead the mind of the in- 
telligent reader to such reflections, and thus 
become the source of a purer gratification 
than would have been derived from the 
suggestions of others. 
