Microscopical Essays. 261 



from the moment the bees, among which he took care there 

 mould be a large number of drones, were put into them ; to the 

 time of the queen's laying her eggs, which generally happens the 

 fourth or fifth day, he obferved, that on the firh: or fecond day 

 (always before the third) from the time the eggs are placed in 

 the cells, a great number of bees fattening themfelves to one 

 another hung down in the form of a curtain, from the top to the 

 bottom of the hive ; they had done the fame at the time the queen 

 depofited her eggs, an operation which feems contrived on pur- 

 pofe to conceal what is tranfa&ing : however, through fome 

 parts of this veil he was enabled to fee fome of the bees inferting 

 the pofterior part of their bodies each into a cell, and finking 

 into, but continuing there only a little while. When they had 

 retired, it was eafy to difcover a whitifh liquor left in the angle of 

 the bafis of each cell, which contained an egg. In a day or two 

 this liquor was abforbed into the embryo, which on the fourth 

 day affumes its worm or larva jftate, to which the working bees 

 bring a little honey for nourishment, during the firft eight or ten 

 days after it's birth. When the bees find the worm has attained it's 

 full growth, they leave off bringing it food, they know it has no 

 more need of it ; they have ftill, however, another fervice to pay 

 it, in which they never fail, it is that of (hutting it up in it's cell, 

 where the larva is inclofed for eight or ten days : here a further 

 change takes place ; the larva, which was heretofore idle, now 

 begins to work, and lines it's cell with fine filk ; while the working 

 bee inclofes it exteriorly with'a wax covering. The concealed lar- 

 va then voids it's excrement, quits it's fkiii, and affumes the pupa ; 

 at the end of fome days the young bee acquires fufficient ffrength 

 to quit the (lender covering of the pupa, tear the wax covering of 

 its cell, and proceeds a perfect in feci. 



To 



