68 
BREEDING. 
Hundreds when biting their way out. Instead of 
care or notice, they often receive rather rough treat- 
ment: the workers, intent on other matters, will 
sometimes come in contact with one part way out 
the cell, with force sufficient to almost dislocate its 
neck ; yet they do Dot stop to see if any harm is done, 
or beg pardon. The little sufferer, after this rude 
lesson, scrambles back as soon as possible out of the 
way ; enlarges the prison door a little, and attempts 
again, with perhaps the same success : a dozen trials 
are often made before they succeed. When it does 
actually leave, it seems like a stranger in a multitude, 
with no friend to counsel, or mother to direct. It 
wanders about uncared for and unheeded, and rarely 
finds one sufficiently benevolent to bestow even the 
necessaries of life ; but does sometimes. It is gene- 
rally forced to learn the important lesson of looking 
out for itself, the day it leaves the cradle. A cell 
containing honey is sought for, where its immediate 
wants are all supplied. 
GUESS WORK. 
The time before it Is ready to leave the hive for 
honey, I might guess would be two or three days. 
Others have said “it would leave the day it left the 
cell;” but I guess they guess at this point. They 
tell us, too, that after the bees seal over the cells 
containing the larvas, “ they immediately commence 
spinning their cocoons, which takes just about thirty- 
six hours.” I think it very likely; but when I 
admit it, I cannot imagine how it was ascertained; — 
