THE HONEY-BEE. 
239 
neighbours, while the wooden-box, No. 8, had been 
plundered. 
The numbers awanting in the Table belonged to 
hives from which he had taken the honey, or which 
ho bad fed, and were not, therefore, legitimate sub- 
jects of experiment. 
HUMBLE-BEES. 
We have now to notice the nature and habits of 
another tribe of the social Apidae, familiarly known 
by the name of Humble-Bees ; but so large a space 
has been already devoted to a more valuable species, 
that our descriptions must bo comparatively brief. 
Humble-Bees, as far as we know,have never been do- 
mesticated, or made directly subservient to the inter- 
ests of mankind ; although it is not improbable that 
means might be found of turning their labours to 
account, did not the possession of a more useful 
species remove all inducement to make the attempt. 
They constitute, however, a very interesting portion 
of our insect population for a variety of reasons. 
Their economy, although greatly inferior in interest 
to that of the hive bee, is still extremely curious ; 
their comparatively large size, and gay colours, ren- 
der them conspicuous objects in our fields and gar- 
dens; the untiring diligence with which they seek 
their food among the blossoms “ so busy and so 
