and of their Qutene. 
Ci. 
zr 
16 . 
The difference 
betweene the 
youngXecsand 
old. 
But the truth is, a Bcc is but* a yeares Bird, with feme ad- 
uantage. 
* Which is a long life in companion of the Silk-wormes , which liue 
butfoure moneths ; or of the Wafpes, which liuc but hue: or of the 
' Drones, which but fix. 
For the Bees of the former yeare, which vntill Ge- 
mini in the next yeare doe looke fo youthfully, that you can- 
not difeerne them from their full growne Nymphes, which 
thatfpring they hauebred ; doe from thenceforth change 
with manifeft difference : for the young Bees continue great, - 
full, fmooth, brownc, well- winged j the old waxe little, wi- 
thered, rough, whitifh, ragged-winged: and withall fo fee- 
ble, t hat when they come loaded home, if any thing ftand in 
their way, yea many times, though there be nothing, they 
falldowne, and being loaded cannot nfeagaine: and then 
either a little cold or wet in the day, or the nights dew kil- 
leth them : you may daily finde, fpecially in (fancer and 
Leo, fome dead , fome halfe-dead before the Hiues , and 
fome aliue and luftie, which yet can neuer rife againe, 
Some of them will hold out fo long, till their wings are 
more then halfe wornc : but by Libra you (hall fcarce fee one 
of them leaft. 
The young Bees, as beft able, beare the greateft burdens : 
for they not onely worke abroad, but alfo watch and ward 
at home both early and late: when need is, they hazzard 
their Hues in defence of the reft, they beat away the Drones, 
and fight with other Bees and Wafpes , and alfault with 
their fpeeres whatfoeuer elfe offendeth them , they carrie 
their dead forth to be buried, and performe all other offices. 
But the labour of the old ones is onely in gathering, which 
they will neuer giueouer, while their wings can bearerhem: 
and then when they ceafe to worke, they will ceafe alfo to 
eat: fuch enemies are they to idleneffe. And therefore 
generally they die in their delightfull labour, either in the 
field or comming home : Atque animat fnb fa fee dedere. 
Sometimes as well in Summer as Winter v. the Bees take 
pleafureto play abroad before theHiue, fpecially thofethac Bets worn eft 
ar£ in good plight, flying in and out, and about, fothicke, fomsupiay. 
D 3 and ^ 
57 - 
The office of the 
young Bees. 
* 8 . 
And of the old. 
Vug. 
6i. 
19 - 
