326 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
is so soft, that it fs only used for medicinal purposes, it 
being never found hard enough to form into candles, as in 
Europe. 
Of insects that receive the name of bees, among us, there 
are several ; which however differ very widely from that in- 
dustrious, social race we have been just desciibing. I he 
Humble-bee is the largest of all this tribe, being as large as 
the first joint of one’s middle linger. These are seen in every 
field, and perched on every (lower. They build their nest in 
holes in the ground, of dry leaves, mixed with wax and wool, 
defended with moss from the weather. Each humble-bee 
makes a separate cell, about the size of a small nutmeg, 
which is round and hollow, containing the honey in a bag. 
Several of these cells are joined together, in such a manner, 
that the whole appears like a cluster of grapes. The females, 
which have the appearance of wasps, are very few, and their 
e^o-s are laid in cells, which the rest soon cover over with wax. 
It Fs uncertain whether they haveaqueen or not ; but there is 
one much larger than the rest, without wings, and without 
hair, and all over black, like polished ebony. This goes and 
views all the works, from time to time, and enters into the 
cell, as if it wanted to see whether every thing was done 
right : in the morning, the young humble-bees are very idle, 
and seem not at all inclined to labour, till one of the largest, 
about seven o’clock, thrusts half its body from a hole designed 
for that purpose, and seated on the top of the nest, beats its 
wings for twenty minutes successively, buzzing the whole time, 
till The whole colony is put in motion. The humble-bees 
gather honey, as well as the common bees ; but it is neither 
so fine, nor so good, nor the wax so clean, or so capable of 
fusion. 
Beside the bees already mentioned, there are various kinds 
among us, that have much the appearance of honey-makers, 
and yet make only wax. The Wood-bee is seen in every 
garden. It is rather larger than the common queen-bee ; its 
body of a blueish black, which is smooth and shining. It 
begins to appear at the approach of spring, and is seen flying 
near walls exposed to a sunny aspect. This bee makes its 
nest in some piece of wood, which it contrives to scoop and 
hollow for its purpose. This, however, is never done in trees 
that are standing, for the wood it makes choice of is half 
rotten. The holes are not made directly forward, but turning 
to one side, and have an opening sufficient to admit one’s mid' 
die finger; whence runs the inner apartment, generally twelve 
orfifteen inches long. The instruments used in boring these 
cavities, are their teeth: the cavity ts usually branched int° 
three or four apartments : and in each of these they lay their 
