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VIII. Observations on Bees . JETy John Hunter, Esq. F.R.S . 
Read February 23, 1792. 
O /" the Common Bee. 
T he common bee, from a number of peculiarities in its oeco- 
nomy, has called forth the attention of the curious ; and, from 
the profit arising from its labours, it has become the object of 
the interested ; therefore, no wonder it has excited universal 
attention, even from the savage to the most civilized people : 
but it has hardly been considered by the anatomist ; at least 
the two modes of investigation have not gone so much hand in 
hand, as they ought to have done. 
The history of the bee has rather been considered as a fit 
subject for the curious at large, whence more has been con- 
ceived, than observed. Swammerdam, indeed, has rather erred 
on the other side, having, with great industry, been very mi- 
nute on the particular structure of the bee. I shall here ob- 
serve, that it is commonly not only unnecessary to be minute in 
our description of parts in natural history, but in general im- 
proper. It is unnecessary, when it does not apply to any 
thing, but the thing itself, more especially if it be of no conse- 
quence ; but whenever it applies, then it should so far be 
treated accurately. Minutiae beyond what is essential, tire the 
mind, and render that which should entertain along with 
