HERTFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
XXXIX 
objects of a judicious bee-keeper is to keep the hive warm and 
maintain the heat of the brood-nest; for a chill will not only kill 
the brood and thus engender disease, but will prevent the laying of 
eggs by the queen, and thus tend to make the stock a weak one. 
The Rev. J. Lingen-Seager gave some practical hints with regard 
to the raising of queens, procuring early drones, the introduction of 
a new queen into an old stock, how to obtain a harvest of honey 
from the fruit-blossom, and other matters of vital importance to 
the bee-keeper. In conclusion, he alluded to the relationship 
which exists between bees and flowers, and their inter-dependence 
one on the other, illustrating the point by a reference to the two 
kinds of primrose known to the gardeners as the “ pin-eyed ” and 
the “ thrum-eyed.” It being “ primrose day,” many of the members 
were wearing bunches of these flowers, so that actual examples 
were easily obtainable. There was, said Mr. Seager, a prejudice 
amongst gardeners against “ pin-eyed ” primulas which arose from 
their ignorance of botanical science and from their not understanding 
the relationship of one to the other; for if there were no ‘ ‘ pin¬ 
eyed” flowers, there would of necessity be no “thrum-eyed ” ones, 
as one kind depends for its fertilization on the existence of the other. 
The members of the Society and their friends then proceeded to 
the church, where a new organ has just been erected; and a short 
recital was given by Mr. G. Gafle, organist of St. Albans Cathedral. 
Tea was then partaken of at the Coffee Tavern, after which a 
meeting was held in the schoolroom, when Mr. Seager delivered 
an instructive lecture on bees and bee-keeping. 
Ordinary Meeting, 25th April, 1884, at Hertford. 
C. E. Shelly, Esq., B.A., M.B., Vice-President, in the Chair. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. “Meteorological Observations taken at Throcking Rectory, 
Herts, during the year 1883.” Ry the Rev. C. W. Harvey, M.A., 
P.R.Met.Soc. ( Transactions , Yol. Ill, p. 103.) 
2. “ Report on the Rainfall in Hertfordshire in 1883.” Ry the 
Rev. C. W. Harvey. ( Transactions , Yol. Ill, p. 112.) 
3. “On Instinct.” Ry E. M. Campbell, E.L.S., E.Z.S., E.R.M.S. 
{Transactions , Yol. Ill, p. 119.) 
Eield Meeting, 31st May, 1884. 
RICKMANSWORTH COMMON MOOR AND MOOR PARK. 
The members assembled at the principal entrance to Cassiobury 
Park and walked across the park to the Swiss Cottage. The course 
of the River Gade was then followed from the Swiss Cottage 
grounds to Rickmansworth Common Moor. 
