Reviews and Extracts,—^'atural History. 
275 
female. The writer goes on to speak of several other instances, and concludes 
by observing that these, as well as others, occupy the attention of one of o'Ur 
most philosophical researchers in Natural History j and that we may rest as¬ 
sured from the bands of the most acute detector of the Cj/gnus BtiwickU, the 
student will receive a memoir worthy, not only of the subject, but of its 
author. 
N o 23, FOR November. 
Observationn on the F.rjicula minor. (Lesser Earwig) 
Speaking of the flight of Earwigs, a writer in this work says, “ I have long 
known it on the credit of others, but not at all from inspection, till May 12th, 
1831. Between 5 and 6, P. m., the atmosphere was warm and most exciting, 
when in an area between two ranges of hot-bed frames, I saw numerous spe¬ 
cimens of Forjicula niinor^ all in highest exstasies, and traversing the ground in 
all directions. I thought 1 also saw some flying, and alighting round about. 
Hereupon I caused one on the ground to mount my hand, and elevating it to 
the level of my eye, saw it fly off; thus also did a second, a third, and a fourth. 
Each before taking flight, aided or effected the expansion of its snow-white 
membraneous wings, with the forceps in its tail, which it turned over its back, 
and uj.ed with admirable adroitness. They flew ably, and in curves of short 
diameters.” 
4.— The Honey Bee. By E. Bevan, M. D. 12mo. 9^. 
Separation of fVajo and Honey .—After deprivation, the box, or hive, containing 
the combs should be kept in a warm room till it is convenient to drain it of itn 
contents, as the more fluid the honey, the sooner and the more completely will it 
run off. 7’his is, of course, a reason for not deferring the draining longer that 
can be avoided. The combs should be separated from the boxes or hives with a 
broad spatula, and a double-edged instrument, (which the writer has recommended 
for separating the combs from the side of the hive,) and placed afterwards on a 
clean dish. The waxen covers, on both sides of the sealed combs, should be sliced 
off, when by placing them on a hair sieve the honey will run through tolerably 
fine, and may be caught in an earthen pan. For prime purposes the purest combs 
should be selected, and their honey passed through a separate sieve. Mr. Isaac 
recommends letting this fine honey drop through the sieve into a silk sarse, (such 
as is used by the apothecary, for sifting fine powders,) and from the sarse into an 
earthen pan j this would enable the apiarian to obtain his honey in a more depu¬ 
rated sUite. The sarse must he first wetted, or the honey will not run through it. 
If the weather be cool, this business should be done in a room where there is a 
fire 
“ The ordinary combs may be chopped up, or broken down with the hands, and 
together with the refuse combs after draining, may be thrown into as much clean 
water as will cause the wax to swim. The whole may remain in this state for 
some days, to dissolve all the honey for making common mead ; or the combs may 
be spread out upon broad dishes, and set before the bees in an evening, as also the 
utensils which have been employed during the process, first strewing them over 
with short straws, to prevent the bees from smearing their wings. The former is 
the best mode of disposing of the refuse combs and utensils, as the latter is apt to 
produce quarreling and robberies. The combs having been cleared as completely 
as possible, the finest should be boi.ed in water enough to float them, till tliey are 
