THE HONEY-BEE. 
181 
or by iron wire. An entrance is made by cutting, in 
the middle of the lower quarter of the frame, a notch 
sloping upwards from the outside. There must be 
an entrance both before and behind, the doors of 
which are opened and shut at pleasure. This hive 
must be covered with a wooden surtout resting on 
the floor-board. To save the trouble of lifting it off 
every time we observe the bees, an opening is made 
in each side with a shutter fitted to it, of the same 
size with the glass; and as it is necessary that the 
bees should be kept from getting between the hive 
and the surtout, there must be a covered passage 
leading to the outside. This hive presents great 
facilities for making experiments, and for observing 
the proceedings of the bees, which being prevented 
from constructing more than one comb, cannot con- 
ceal any part of their operations as in other hives. 
They soon become accustomed to the removal of the 
surtout, and are not at all disturbed by our observ- 
ing them. The Queen may be followed in all her 
movements, and even in her laying. It is easy to 
lay hold of her at any time, either in the hive or in 
the passage. The bees may be fed and retained 
prisoners ; they' may be forced to make wax from 
honey, honey from sugar, &c. In short, all the ex- 
periments that have ever been made, may be verified 
by means of this hive, the result found, and new 
experiments tried. In spite of its peculiar advan- 
tages, however, it has inconveniences which annoy 
the Naturalist. It is very difficult to introduce a 
swarm into it, how much soever the operator may 
