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BEE. 
There is a substance in all hives called bee-bread, 
which is as common among these insects as any 
thing belonging to their community: whenever a 
hive is taken, a quantity of this substance is found 
within it ; and it seems to be so essential, that a 
certain portion is deposited in the first formed cells, 
and great care taken to cover it with wax, in order 
to preserve it till wanted. If a cell filled with this 
substance be laid open, it will be found composed 
of layers of different colours. This is particularly 
visible in glass hives, where the cells are attached 
to the sides, and frequently expose the different 
strata above mentioned. It is this substance which 
the bees bring on their legs, and which consists of 
the farina of plants. For the purpose of convey- 
ing this bee-bread to their hive, Nature has formed 
two spoon-shaped cavities within their hinder legs, 
and it is common in the summer season to see the 
little industrious creatures loaded with this com- 
modity to the very top of their thighs. They col- 
lect their farina from different flowers, and deposit 
it within their cells in a very curious manner. 
“ On viewing the hives/’ says Mr. Hunter, “ we 
often see bees with this substance on their legs, 
moving along on the combs, as if looking out for 
the cell to deposit it in. They will often walk 
over a cell that has some deposited in it, but will 
leave that and try another, and so on till they fix ; 
which made me conceive that each bee had its own 
cell. When they come to the intended cell, they 
put their two hind-legs into it, with the two fore- 
