152 Mr . Hunter’s Observations on Bees. 
In such the lining of silk is thick at the sides, composed of many 
laminae; and in many, the bottom is half filled up with 
excrement ; and I observed at such parts, the comb was thickest 
at its mouth, which inclines me to think, that when a cell be- 
comes shallow, by the bottom being in some degree filled up, 
the bees then add to its mouth. Such also they seem to reserve 
principally for the bee-bread ; so that to lay up a greater 
store of honey is an object to them. 
Of the Laying of Eggs. 
As soon as a few combs are formed, the female bee begins lay- 
ing of eggs. As far as I have been able to observe, the queen is 
the only bee that propagates, although it is asserted that the la- 
bourers do. Her first eggs in the season are those which pro- 
duce labourers ; then the males, and probably the queen ; this 
is the progress in the wasp, hornet, humble bee, &c. However, 
it is asserted by Riem, that when a hive is deprived of a queen, 
labourers lay eggs ; also, that at this time, some honey and 
farina are brought in, as store for a wet day. The eggs are 
laid at the bottom of the cell, and we find them there before 
the cells are half completed, so that propagation begins early 
and goes on along with the formation of the other cells. The 
egg is attached at one end to the bottom of the cell, sometimes 
standing perpendicularly, often obliquely ; it has a glutinous, or 
slimy covering, which makes it stick to any thing it touches. 
It would appear that there was a period or periods for laying 
eggs ; for I have observed in a new swarm, that the great busi- 
ness of laying eggs did not last above a fortnight ; although 
the hive was not half filled with comb, it began to slacken. 
