Chap. 10.] 
BEES. 
9 
their fore feet : bending beneath their load, they then return 
to the hive, where there are three or four bees ready to receive 
them and aid in discharging their burdens. Eor, within the 
hive as well, they have their allotted duties to perform : some 
are engaged in building, others in smoothing, the combs, while 
others again are occupied in passing on the materials, and 
others in preparing food-^ from the provision which has been 
brought ; that there may be no unequal division, either in their 
labour, their food, or the distribution of their time, they do not 
even feed separately. 
Commencing at the vaulted roof of the hive, they begin 
the construction of their cells, and, just as we do in the manu- 
facture of a web, they construct their cells from top to bottom, 
taking care to leave two passages around each compartment, 
for the entrance of some and the exit of others. The combs, 
which are fastened to the hive in the upper part, and in a 
slight degree also at the sides, adhere to each other, and are 
thus suspended altogether. They do not touch the floor of the 
hive, and are either angular or round, according to its shape ; 
sometimes, in fact, they are both angular and round at once, 
when two swarms are living in unison, but have dissimilar 
modes of operation. They prop up the combs that are likely 
to fall, by means of arched pillars, at intervals springing from 
the floor, so as to leave them a passage for the purpose of 
eflecting repairs. The first three ranks of their cells are gene- 
rally left empty when constructed, that there may be nothing 
exposed to view which may invite theft ; and it is the last 
ones, more especially, that are filled Avith honey : hence 
it is that the combs are always taken out at the back of the 
hive. 
The bees that are employed in carrying look out for a favour- 
able breeze, and if a gale should happen to spring up, they 
poise themselves in the air with little stones, by way of bal- 
last ; some writers, indeed, say that they place them upon their 
shoulders. "When the wind is contrary, they fly close to the 
ground, taking care, however, to keep clear of the brambles. 
It is wonderful what strict watch is kept upon their work : all 
instances of idleness are carefully remarked, the oftenders are 
From the honey found in the corolla? of flowers. This, after being 
prepared in the first stomach of the bee, is deposited in the cell which is 
formed for its reception. 
