560 
ARTICULATA. 
are still many other striking curiosities in tlieir history. One of the most wonderful is, that the 
hexagonal cells for the honey are built upon precisely that mathematical angle which affords 
the greatest amount of strength with the least waste of material. Mathematicians, after laborious 
calculations, have verified this fact ; ages ago, when the first bees built their cells, the Great 
Mathematician instructed them, and instinct, which is a perpetual memory, has preserved the 
knowledge thus communicated, amid the countless myriads of descendants in all countries and all 
climes. 
Another curious fact in respect to these insects is, that when a colony or swarm migrates 
from the original hive to a new situation, it is necessary first to 
collect propolis with which every chink and cranny in the place 
where they mean to build, may be carefully stopped up; and 
secondly, that a quantity of wax be secreted by the wax-workers 
to form the requisite cells. The secretion of wax, it would 
appear, goes on best when the bees are in a state of repose, and 
the wax-workers accordingly suspend themselves in the interior 
of the hive in an extended cluster like a curtain, which is composed 
of a series of intertwined festoons or garlands crossing each other 
in all directions — the uppermost bee maintaining its position by 
laying hold of the roof by its fore-legs, and the succeeding one 
by laying hold of the hind-legs of the first, and so on. 
The sting of the bee consists of an extensile sheath inclosing two 
needle-shaped darts of extreme acuteness ; this apparatus is fur- 
nished with barbs at the point, so that when it enters the skin, it 
often remains, not only rendering the w^ound more painful, but being wrenched from the insect, 
frequently causes its death. The sting is also provided with an active poison, which distils into 
the wound and increases the pain. Sometimes the simultaneous attack of a large number of 
bees upon a person, has proved fatal. The sting of the females is bent, that of the neuters is 
straight ; the males have no sting. This curious means of attack and defense belonging to 
the bees seems to be a provision of nature, bestowed upon them for the purpose of enabling them 
to preserve their delicious stores of honey from the multitude of greedy creatures always ready to 
devour it. A similar stinging apjDaratus belongs to the humble-bee, wasp, hornet, and many 
other honey-making species. 
Most persons are only acquainted Avith bees in their domesticated state, but in difi'erent parts 
of the world there are many wild bees, probably of difi'erent species, though closely resembling 
the Apis mellijica^ in appearance and habits. In our western country, there are many swarms of 
wild bees, and the hunting of them is almost a profession. As the bee has the faculty of flying 
straight to its hive, from which comes the familiar expression of a hee-line^ the bee-hunters are 
able to discover the place where the hive is situated by taking notice of the point to which 
several boes direct their flight. Tu a former part of this work ayo have noticed the cuckoo of 
Africa, said to guide the natives of the country to the treasures of honey which they have the 
art of discovering in the forests ; but the practiced bee-hunter needs no such honey-guide. 
The Humhle-Bees, or as they are often called in this country, the Bumble-Bees, are of many 
species, but they all resemble the common honey-bee in their habits. The Bomhus terrestris is 
one of the largest and commonest of European species. They usually deposit their eggs in a 
hole in the ground, which they excavate with their jaws, lining it with moss. When the nest is 
tolerably well peopled, it presents a mass of oval cocoons spun by the larvfe, interspersed with 
which are numerous masses of an irregular but generally somewhat rounded form, and of a 
brown color ; some of the largest are about the size of a small walnut. Each of these masses 
incloses either eggs or larvae, and is composed of pollen mixed with honey. To these must be 
added the little honey-pots which are irregularly interspersed with the cocoons. The transform- 
ations of these insects, and their various arts and general system of economy, are alike curious 
and interesting. The American s]3ecies resemble the preceding. 
These species which we have described are called Social Bees. Of the numerous other kinds 
