THE HONEY-BEE. 
83 
utmost ire is kindled against the invader, as far as 
concerns the reception of the newly-hatched insect, 
and its introduction to the duties and avocations of 
the Bee-community, they appear altogether selfish 
and indifferent. There is another case in which this 
indifference appears very striking : a sudden change 
of weather about the end of autumn, from a mild 
temperature to raw frost, has such an immediate 
effect on the brood, that it is not uncommon to ob- 
serve a young hce, which shall have so far succeeded 
in breaking its prison, as to extricate its head, and 
nearly its shoulders, yet perishing from cold in this 
situation, without the slightest effort on the part of 
the workers to save the life of a companion whose 
rearing has already cost them so much labour. 
Immediately after the young bee has issued from 
the cell, the workers hasten to clean it out, clear 
away the ragged remains of the cover, fortify it anew 
with the usual strong bordering of wax, and thus pre- 
pare it for the reception of another egg, or of honey 
or farina. 
We have hitherto confined our observations to the 
progress of a worker, from the egg to the state of the 
perfect insect. The same process takes place in the 
case of the Males and of the Queen, though with 
some difference as to the time occupied in the trans- 
formation. Like those of the common bees, the eggs 
of Males are hatched in three days ; the larva state 
continues six and a half days, and after having formed 
their cocoon, and been metamorphosed into nymphs, 
