LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. *J1 
the hunter lets one go, which rising into the air, 
flies straight to the nest ; he then strikes off at 
right angles with its course a few hundred yards, 
and letting a second fly, observes its course by 
his pocket compass, and the point where the 
two courses intersect is that where the nest is 
situated. 
In Upper Egypt the hives are transported from 
one place to another, to enable the bees to make 
a greater provision of honey. Towards the end 
of October, when the inundations of the Nile 
have ceased, and the husbandmen can cultivate 
their land, saintfoin is one of the first things sown; 
and as Upper Egypt is warmer than the lower, 
it gets there first into blossom, and the beehives 
are transported in boats from all parts of Egypt 
to the upper district, and are there heaped in 
•pyramids upon the boats prepared for them. In 
this station they remain some days, and when 
they are supposed to have gathered enough, are 
removed farther down, and so proceed till the 
middle of February ; when having traversed 
Egypt, they arrive at the sea, and are delivered 
to their respective owners. 
One of the most important employments of 
bees is the ventilation of their abode; for the 
heat would soon rise to too high a temperature 
