186 
OF INSECTS. 
ed through these minute apertures, form hairs of almost 
imperceptible fineness; and these hairs, when joined, com¬ 
pose the silk which we wind off from the cone, in which 
the silkworm has wrapped itself up: in the spider, the web 
is formed from this thread. In both cases, the extremity of 
the thread, by means of its adhesive quality, is first at¬ 
tached by the animal to some external hold; and the end 
being now fastened to a point, the insect, by turning round 
its body, or by receding from that point, draws out the 
thread through the holes above described, by an operation, 
as hath been observed, exactly similar to the drawing of 
wire. The thread, like the wire, is formed by the hole 
through which it passes. In one respect there is a dif¬ 
ference. The wire is the metal unaltered, except in figure. 
In the animal process, the nature of the substance is some¬ 
what changed as well as the form; for, as it exists within 
the insect, it is a soft clammy gum or glue. The thread 
acquires, it is probable, its firmness and tenacity from the 
action of the air upon its surface, in the moment of expo¬ 
sure; and a thread so fine is almost all surface. This 
property, however, of the paste is part of the contrivance 
[PI. XXXIII. fig. 2.] 
The mechanism itself consists of the bags or reservoirs 
mto which the glue is collected, and of the external holes 
communicating with these bags: and the action of the 
machine is seen in the forming of a thread, as wire is form¬ 
ed, by forcing the material already prepared through holes 
of proper dimensions. The secretion is an act too subtile 
for our discernment, except as we preceive it by the pro¬ 
duce. But one thing answers to another; the secretory 
glands to the quality and consistence required in the 
secreted substance; the bag to its reception: the outlets 
and orifices are constructed, not merely for relieving 
the reservoirs of their burden, but for manufacturing the 
contents into a form and texture, of great external use, or 
rather indeed of future necessity, to the life and functions 
of the insect. 
II. Bees , under one character or other, have furnished 
every naturalist with a set of observations. I shall in 
this place confine myself to one; and that is, the relation 
which obtains between the wax and the honey. No per¬ 
son who has inspected a bee-hive, can forbear remarking 
how commodiously the honey is bestowed in the comb, and, 
amongst other advantages, how effectually the fermenta¬ 
tion of the honey is prevented by distributing it into small 
cells. The fact is, that when the honey is separated from 
