132 Mr. Hunter's Observations on Bees. 
See. ; therefore I had hives made of the same shape and size, but 
with different panes of glass, each pane opening with hinges, 
so that if I saw any thing going on that I wished to examine 
more minutely or immediately, I opened the pane at this part, 
and executed what I wished, as much as was in my power ; this 
I was obliged to do with great caution, as often the comb was 
fastened, to the glass at this part. When I saw some opera- 
tions going on, the dates or periods of which I wished to as- 
certain, such as the time of laying eggs, of hatching, &c. I 
made a little dot with white paint opposite to the cell where 
the egg was laid, and put down the date. 
From these animals forming colonies, and from a vast variety 
of effects being produced, and with a degree of attention and 
nicety, that seem even to vie with man ; man, not being in the 
least jealous, has wished to bestow on them more than they 
possess, viz. a reasoning faculty; while every action is only in- 
stinctive, and what they cannot avoid or alter, except from ne- 
cessity, not from fancy. They have been supposed to be legis- 
lators, even mathematicians: indeed, upon a superficial view, 
there is some shew of reason for such suppositions ; but people 
have gone much further, and have filled up from their imagi- 
nation every blank, but in so unnatural a way, that one reads 
it, as if it were the description of a monster. Probably, the 
best way of treating the history of this insect, is only to de- 
scribe what is, and the reader will immediately see where 
authors have been inventing ; however, there are some asser- 
tions that should be particularly taken notice of, such as form- 
ing queen bees at pleasure. 
Countries that have but little variety in their seasons may 
have insects, whose oeconomy is well adapted to this uniformity. 
