The, Hggser- ORY of INSECT §, 
233 
A hive opened the 14th of Sune, the number of Bees and Nymphs found in ie 
with a particular defcription of many other fingularities not as yet known. 
WN the beginning of June I bought a hive 
of Bees, it produced a {warm the 14th of 
the fame month. I received the young Bees in 
another hive, and put this hive in water the 
day following, with all its new inhabitants. By 
this means I found the fwarm confifted of 
one female, four males, ‘and 2433 working 
Bees, who had not made any wax fince they 
fwarmed. 
The 16th of the fame month, I likewife 
drowned in the fame manner the Bees that re- 
mained in the original hive, from which other- 
wife a fecond, and even a third, fwarm might 
have been expected. In this hive I found one 
female, 693 males, and 8494 working Bees. 
While I was employed in counting them, I 
let the water run off from the hive, that I might 
afterwards fatisfy my curiofity in afcertaining 
the number of their cells, but I found the 
amount fo great, efpecially that of the cells 
belonging to the working Bees, that I thought 
proper to defift, for fear of lofing the opportu- 
nity of making fome other obfervations, that 
T imagined better deferved my attention. 
I therefore reckoned with great care and 
exactnefs the little dwellings of the female 
Bees, and found nineteen of them as yet 
building, but fome a little ‘more forward than 
others. There were befides fifteen more, in fhape 
refembling a pear, and quite finifhed, which 
were all clofed up with wax, and curioufly 
difpofed on the edges of the combs. Some of 
them ftood by themfelves, others lay clofe to 
each other, three; four, or five together. Others 
again were built quite clofe to the cells of the 
male Bees; fome were fituated obliquely; others 
horizontally; fo as to refemblea beer glafs lying 
on its fide; and; in the fame manner, all the 
cells of both males and working Bees. Some 
on the other hand were built in an inverfe 
pofition, with their openings looking down- 
wards, asthe cells of Hornets are generally 
found. Finally, I difcovered the cell of a 
female eat through on the fore part, being that 
out of which the young queen Bee had efcaped 
that led the fwarm of the 14th of June. 
In nine of the cells belonging to the females, 
which I found clofed up as jaft now mentioned, 
there were as many female Bees arrived at their 
full fize, and furnifhed with wings ready ex- 
panded; and fome of them. were fill alive. 
Some of thefe females were quite gray, and 
others ef a fomewhat darker colour, according 
to the time that had elapfed fince they had 
_ changed their fkins, and that which they were 
ftill to continue within the cell. Not one ef 
them had as yet attempted to open itlelf a 
paflage to fly abroad. 
In the other five of the covered and clofed 
up cells belonging to the females, I found as 
many Nymphs of females. One of thefe five 
cells contained a Nymph, which already begun 
to grow gray on.the back, and was upon the 
point of throwing off its old skin ; but in the, 
other four Nymphs there was no appearance of 
this colour, they being as it were {till in their 
infancy, and for the moft part refembling in - 
whitenefs the curds of milk. ‘The eyes alone 
had by degrees acquired a watry purplith colour, 
and the fame might be obferved of the three 
diftinct fmaller eyes, which are more. con{pi- 
cuoufly perceivable in the infect; while it re- 
mains in this ftate, than afterwards when grown 
to its full perfection. 
Under the belly and tail of thefe Nymphs, 
I found the exuvie and air tubes that had 
dropped from them, on their exchanging the 
form of Worms for that of Nymphs.. I could 
alfo perceive the remains of their food, which 
on pouring water upon it looked like foft ftarch, 
or gum tragacanth, beginning to {weil ; it was 
of the colour of pure amber, and of a fome- 
what fubacid flavour. 
In the upper part, under the wax with which 
thefe fourteen cells were clofed up, I could 
difcern the web which the Nymphs fpread. in 
that part, while they continue in the form of 
Worms. ‘The upper web was very ftrong, and 
made of diftinct threads, but in the lower 
part of the cell it looked like.a membrane ; 
for at the time thefe Worms labour to {hut up 
their cells with fuch webs, they are obliged to 
hove their bodies in every direction, and there- 
by rub their food, and perhaps too their ex- 
crements alfo againft their work, fo as to fill 
the intervals. between the threads that compofe 
it with a kind of glue, and thereby reduce its 
furface to an evennefs like that of a natural 
membrane, 
I opened befides all the clofed up and co- 
vered cells of the males; many of thefe cells 
were fituated near thofe belonging to the work-= 
ing Bees, and contained in a fingle comb, 
hanging at the bottom of the hive. ‘THe reft of 
the male’s cells were built in the midft of thofe 
of the working Bees, with common party 
walls or partitions. Of thefe clofed up cells 
belonging to the males, I reckoned in all 8 58. 
In 234 of them I found as many Worms, 
which had not as yet changed to Nymphs, but 
fome of them were nearer that period than 
others. In 146 cells there was the fame num- 
er of milk-white Nymphs, which had but, 
joft thrown off their ikins. In-44 more cells 
the eyes of the Nymphs were juft beginning to 
acquire a watery and light purplith colour. In 
414 other eells E found as many Nymphs, 
whofe eyes were of a deep purple. And laftly, 
in the 20 remaining cells there were Nymphs 
juft upon the point of fhedding their skins, and 
appearing in the form of male Bees: the gray 
and hairy members of the young males appeared 
plainly in thefe, through the tranfparent mem- 
brane which ftill enclofed them. 
Qoo After 
