350 
BRITISH BEES. 
centre. To prevent ttie trampling of the discharging 
bees from injuring the delicate structure of the walls of 
the cell, each edge is furnished with a strengthening 
rim of wax. The bulk of these stores is never broken, 
except in bad wet seasons, in times of great dearth, or 
upon any suspension of torpidity during their hiberna¬ 
tion. For the ordinary and daily consumption of those 
of the community whose labours confine them to the 
hive, open stores are left. As of course it occupies 
the excursions of several bees for some time to fill one 
of these vases, and to prevent the liquid flowing out, 
as it might do from its exceeding tenuity through the 
influence of the summer heat, and the then increased 
temperature of the hive, as well as from its inclined 
horizontal position,—this is guarded against by the 
precautional sagacity of the little creatures placing 
upon it from the deposit of the very first supply a sort 
of operculum, as before described, of a thicker consis¬ 
tency, which lies upon the top of its progressive increase, 
and thus prevents its oozing. It lies upon the honey 
across the transverse diameter of the cell, and conse¬ 
quently in a vertical position. Its purpose, like that of 
the flat pieces of wood which are placed upon the water 
of full pails when carried by the yoke, is to prevent its 
spilling or overflowing. This small cover has to be par¬ 
tially removed upon the arrival of a bee with fresh store, 
which she herself does by tearing aside a portion of it 
to enable her to regurgitate into the cavity the portion 
she has brought home; upon freeing herself from this 
she does not wait to restore the dilapidation she has 
caused, but proceeds on a fresh harvesting. Another 
bee, whose duty it is, then readapts this cover to its 
purpose, and repairs it. Their excursions to collect are 
