414 
BEE. 
of a sagacious oeconomy which actuates this busy 
community, may be noticed the following : 
Whenever a cell of honey is opened for the sake 
of its contents, the cover which enclosed the sweets 
is carefully deposited in a magazine appropriated 
for the purpose ; and when a young bee frees itself 
from its prison, by breaking down the partition of 
wax that shuts it up, two old bees immediately 
present themselves, and carry away all the remains 
of this waxen partition ; after which they imme- 
diately repair the ledge of the cell, and bear all 
the wax that is left to the same repository, where 
it is laid up for future purposes. 
The bees begin to collect their honey as soon as 
the season for laying the eggs is over, and each cell 
is filled with it immediately after the enclosed 
chrysalis has arrived at maturity, and forced its way 
out. The honey is extracted by the bee from that 
part of a flower called the nectarium, and it is then 
conducted by the little animal into a receptacle 
called the honey-bag, which appears like an ob- 
long bladder ; and its situation within the body is 
well known to children in the country, who de- 
stroy many bees to come at its contents. When a 
bee has collected enough to fill this bag, it flies to 
the hive and returns the honey into a cell ; after 
which it flies off for a fresh supply, and thus con- 
tinues going and coming till its task is completed. 
As soon as a cell is full of this delicious fluid, it is 
carefully covered with pure wax, and is to be con- 
sidered as store for the winter. 
