44 
TEE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE 
behold, in the perfect adaptation of means to ends, a 
sagacity which seems scarcely inferior to that of man. 
‘‘ The eggs of bees* are of a lengthened, oval shape 
(PI. XIII., Fig. 39), with a slight curvature, and of a bluish 
white color: being besmeared, at the time of laying, with 
a glutinous substance, they adhere to the bases of the 
cells, and remain unchanged in figure or situation for three 
or four days ; they are then hatched, the bottom of each 
cell presenting to view a small white worm. On its grow¬ 
ing (PI. XIII., Figs. 40, 41), so as to touch the opposite 
angle of the cell, it coils itself up, to use the language of 
Swammerdam, like a dog when going to sleep ; and floats 
in a whitish transparent fluid, which is deposited in the 
cells by the nursing-bees, and by which it is probably 
nourished ; it becomes gradually enlarged in its dimen¬ 
sions, till the two extremities touch one another, and form 
a ring. In this state it is called a larva, or worm. So 
nicely do the bees calculate the quantity of food which will 
be required, that none remains in the cell when it is trans¬ 
formed to a nymph. It is the opinion of many eminent 
naturalists, that farina does not constitute the sole food 
of the larva, but that it consists of a mixture of farina, 
honey, and water, partly digested in the stomachs of the 
nursing-bees. 
“ The larva having derived its support, in the manner 
above described, for four, five, or six days, according to 
the season, continues to increase during that period, till it 
occupies the whole breadth, and nearly the length of the 
cell. The nursing-bees now seal over the cell with a 
light brown cover, externally more or less convex (the 
cap of a drone-cell being more convex than that of a 
worker), and thus differing from that of a honey-cell, which 
is paler and somewhat concave.” The cap of the brood 
• “ Bovaii on tho lIon<?y-Buo 99 
