natural history of the honey-bee. 
6 ^ 
3d. Its size, shape, and color are greatly changed ; its 
lower jaws are shorter, its head rounder, and its abdomen 
without the receptacles for secreting wax; its legs have 
neither brushes nor baskets, and its sting is more curved, 
and one-third longer (PI. XVIII.) than that of a worker. 
4th. Its instincts are entirely changed. Reared as a 
worker, it would have thrust out its sting at the least 
provocation ; whereas now, it may be pulled limb from 
limb without attempting to sting. As a worker, it would 
have treated a queen with the greatest consideration ; but 
now, if brought in contact with another queen, it seeks to 
destroy it as a rival. As a worker, it would frequently 
have left the hive, either for labor or exercise; as a queen, 
it never leaves it after impregnation, except to accompany 
a new swarm. 
5tli. The term of its life is remarkably lengthened. As 
a worker, it would not have lived more than six or seven 
months; as a queen, it may live seven or eight times as 
long. All these wonders rest on the impregnable basis 
of demonstration, and instead of being witnessed only by 
a select few, may now, by the use of the movable-comb 
hive, be familiar sights to any bee-keeper who prefers an 
acquaintance with facts, to caviling and sneering at the 
labors of others.* 
* A brief extract from the celebrated Dr. Boorhaave’s momolr of Swammerdam, 
•hould put to blush the arrogance of those superficial observers, who ore too wise 
In their own conceit to avail themselves of the knowledge of others. 
“This treatise on Bees proved so fatiguing a performance, that Swammerdam 
never afterwards recovered oven the appearance of his former health and vigor. 
He was almost continually engaged by day in making observations, and as con¬ 
stantly by night in recording them by drawings and suitable explanations. 
“ Ills daily labor began at six in the morning, when the sun afforded him light 
enough to survey such minute objects; and from that hour till twelve, ho continued 
without interruption, all the while exposod In the open air to the scorching heat 
of the sun, barehonded, for fear of intercepting his sight, and his head In a manner 
dissolving into sweat under the Irresistible ardors of that powerful luminary. And 
If he desisted at noon, It was only because the strength of his eyes was too much 
