BEE. 
413 
legs and the trunk out on the mouth of the neigh- 
bouring cell, and then the tail, or belly, is thrust 
down into the intended cell ; they then bring the 
- leg under the belly, and turning the point of the 
tail to the outside of the leg, where the farina is, 
they shove it off with the point of the tail. When 
it is thus shoved off both legs, the bee leaves it, and 
the two pieces of farina may be seen lying at the 
bottom of the cell ; another bee comes almost im- 
mediately, and, creeping into the cell, continues 
about five minutes, kneading and working it down 
into the bottom, or spreads it over what was de- 
posited there before, leaving it a smooth surface.” 
The oeconomy of these ingenious insects is really 
wonderful. They are possessed of a kind of fore- 
sight which enables them to provide for futurity 
with the utmost prudence. All their actions are 
regulated with propriety, and nothing superfluous 
is to be found in the hive, while every thing that is 
necessary is provided. Not a grain of the bee- 
bread is wasted, lest they should be obliged to seek 
for more at a time when they are otherwise en- 
gaged. Mr. Hunter conceives this substance to be 
the food of the young maggots ; for, when he exa- 
mined the stomach of one of these animals, he 
found it full of a similar substance, only softer, as 
if mixed with a fluid ; but he never opened any of 
them which contained a particle of honey : there- 
fore there can be little doubt but this matter is col- 
lected for the young brood, as honey is for the sup- 
port of the old bees. Among the many instances 
