^ iehto thefe the animal fticks it's pellets, Thusem- 
ployed,- tiie Bee flies from flower to flower, in- 
creafmg it's fl:ore of honey, and adding to it's 
ftock of wax, till the ball on each thigh- becomes 
as bia: as a grain of pepper ; after which it intermits 
it's labour, and returns to it's hive. 
• The belly of the Bee is divided into fix annula- 
tions or rings, which are capable of being con- 
trafted or expanded at pleafure. Befides the intef- 
tines, the infeft is internally furniflied'wit^h- a honey- 
bag, a venom-bag, and a fling. The honey-bag, 
which is as tranfparent as cryftal, contains the 
honey which the Bee has bruflied from the flov/ers, 
the greateft part of which is carried to the hive, and 
poured into the cells' of the honeycomb, while 
the remainder fei-ves for the animal's own nou- 
rifhment for, during the fummer feafon, it never 
touches it's winter's hoard. . The fting of this in- 
duftrious creature, v\^hich is imparted to it by hature 
as a defence againft it's enemies, is compofed of 
three parts; namely, the fheath, and two extreme- 
ly fmall and penetrating darts; and both thefe darts 
are furniflied with feveral points, or barbs, like 
thofe of a fifli-hook, which rankling in the wound, 
render the fting miore painful. This inftrumenr, 
hov/ever, would prove but a weak defence, if the 
Bee did not poifon the vv'ound. The iheath, by 
means of it's fliarp point, makes the fiiil impref- 
fion; and this being followed by that of the darts, 
the venomous fluid is fpeedily iniefted. The former 
weapon fometimes fticks fo faft in the flefli, that 
it is obliged to be left behind, and the wound is 
thereby much enflamed ; but tlie Bee does not 
lonp- furvive it's iofs. 
From examining the Bee fingly, we proceed to 
an enquiry into it's habits in fociety; and, in this 
view, v/e behold an animal aftive, vigilant, labori- 
ous, and difinterefted : fubje6t to regulations, and 
perfeftly fubmifiive. All it's provifions are laid 
up for the community; and all it's arts are em- 
ployed in building a cell, deflgned for the benefit 
of pofteiity. 
The fubfcance of which the cells of Bees are 
formed confifts of wax, fafhioned into conveni- 
ent apartments for themfelves and their young. 
When they begin to work in their hives, they di- 
vide themfelves into four companies : one of 
which traverfes the fields in quefl. of materials ; an- 
other is occupied in laying out the bottoms and 
partitions of their cells ; a third is employed in 
fmoothing their infides from any remaining afperi- 
ties; and the fourth company either brings food 
for the refl:, or relieves thofe who return v/ith their 
refpeftive burdens. They are not, however, uni- 
formly fixed to the fame avocations, but fre- 
quently change the tafl:s afligned them: thofe 
who have been at work in the hive being permitted 
to p-o abroad, while thofe who have been in the 
fields are called upon to fupply their places. They 
even feem to have figns by which they underftand 
each other : for when any one of them wants food, 
it bends down it's trunk to the Bee from whom it 
is expcfted ; which immediately opens it's honey- 
bag, and lets fomiC drops fall into the other's 
- mouth, which is opened on purpofe to receive 
them. 
Such is the aftonifliing and unwearied dili- 
gence of thefe creatures, that, in one day's time, 
they are capable of conftrufting ceils fufficiently 
numerous to contain three thoufand Bees ; and 
v/hich, if examined, will be found to be formed in 
the moil exad proportion. Pappus, an ancient 
B £ E 
geometrician, informs us that, of all other figures.,-- 
hexagons are the moft convenient; for when placed 
fo as to touch each other, the moft commodious 
room will be given, while the leaft poffible will 
appear to be loft. The cells of- the Bees are per- 
fect hexagons; and thefe, in every honeycomb, 
are double, open'ng on either fide, and clofing at 
the bottom. The bottoms are compofed of little 
triangular panes; which, when united together, ter- 
minate in a point, and lie exaclly upon the extremi- 
ties of the upper panes of the fame fhape, but in 
oppofite cells. Thefe lodgings have fpaces refem- 
bling ftreets running between them., large enough 
to give the Bees a free pafl'age in and out, and yet 
narrow enough to preferve the necefiary degree of 
heat. The m.outh of every cell is defended by a 
border, which, though it renders the entrance 
fomjewhat lefs than the infide of the ceil, ferves to 
ftrengthen the' whole fabric. Their cells anfwer 
very diflxrrent purpofes, being at once the repofi- 
tories for their wax, their honey, and their young. 
• It is univerfaiiy allov/ed, that the habitatiojis of 
Bees - ought to be very dole : and what their 
hitts waait in this refpeft, owing to the negli- 
gence or unfl<ilfulnefs of man, thefe animals are 
lure to fupply by tJieir own induftry; fo that, wlien 
firft- hived, it is their principal care to ftop up every 
chink. For this pi7rpofe, they make ufe of a re- 
finous gum, more tenacious than wax, a:Hd. of a 
very different nature. This gum, v/hich the ancients 
called propolis, grows pretty hard, but is never- 
thelefs capable of being in fome meafure foftencci 
by the heat: it is often found to vary in confift- 
ence, colour, and fmell; it lias generally, however, 
an agreeable aromatic odour when warmed, and 
fomxe perfons conlider it as a moft grateful per- 
fume. When the Bees begin to work v/ith this 
material, it is extremely foft; but, acquiring a firmer 
confiftence daily, it at length aflumes a brown co- 
lour, and becomes fit for every purpoie intended- 
Some have fuppofed this gum to be expreflfed from 
the willow, the birch, and the poplar; but, v/hat- 
ever may be the refources from which it is drawn, 
the hives of the Bees are all internally plaiftered 
with this compofition. 
From the hurry and buftle the fwarm feems to be 
in, when examined through a glafs hive, the whole 
at firft fight appears like anarchy and confufion; 
but the fpedtator, on a clofer infpefrion, foon dif- 
covers every animal feduloufly employed, and fol- 
lowing one purfuit v/ith a fettled purpofe. 
The teeth of the Bees are the inftruments by 
which they model and fafliion their various build- 
ings withfuch aftonifhing fymmiCtry and perfe6lion. 
They begin at the top of the hive, and feveral of 
them are employed at one time in conftrufling the 
double-faced cells. 
The formation of their combs, which is attended 
with infiiiite labour, is compleated byinfenfible ad- 
ditions; and not caft at once in a mould, as fome 
have idly imagined. The cells for their young 
are m.oft carefully formed; thofe defigned for 
lodging the drones are larger; and that meant for 
the queen Bee is the largeft of ail. It is evident 
that thefe apartments alfo ferve at different times 
as ftorehoufes for honey. Every worm, before it is 
transformed into an aurelia, fufpends it's oldflcin on 
the partition of it's cell; w liich, v/hile it ftrengthens 
the fence, at the fame time diminiflies the extent 
of it's late apartment. The fam.e- cell, in the fpace 
of one fummer, is often tenanted by three or four 
worms in fucceUion ; andj the next feafon, by 
three 
