92 “NATURAL HISTorRY. 
titions of its cell; and thus, while it ftrengthens the wall, diminifhes 
the capacity of its late apartment. The fame cell in a fingle fummet 
is often tenanted by three‘or four werms in fucceflion; and the next 
feafon by three or four more. Each worm takes particular care t? 
fortify the pannels of its cell, by hanging up its fpoils there: thus, thé 
partitions being lined, fix or eight deep, become at faft too narrow fot 
a new brood, and are converted into ftore-houfes, for honey. 
Thofe cells where nothing but honey is depofited, are much deepet 
than the reft. When the harveft of honey is fo plentiful that they 
have not fufficient room for it, they either lengthen’ their combs, OF — 
‘build more; which are much longer than the former. Sometimes 
they work at three combs at a time; for when there are three work- 
houfes, more bees may be thus employed, without embarrafling each 
other. - fee 
But honey, as was before obferved, is not the only food upon whick 
thefe animals fubfit. The meal of flowers, of which their wax is fore | 
med, is one of their moft favourite repafts. This is a diet which thef 
live upon during the fummer ; and of which they lay up a large wine 
ter provifion. ‘be wax of which their combs are made, is no moré 
than this meal digefted, and wrought into a pafte. When the flowers 
upon which bees generally feed, are not fully blown, and this meal of 
duit is not offered in fufficient quantities, the bees pinch the tops of thé 
ftlamina in which it is contained, with their teeth; and thus anticipate 
the progrefs of vegetation. In April and May, the bees are bufy, from 
morning to evening, in gathering this meal; but when the weathef 
becomes too hot in the midft of fummer, they work only in the mor | 
ning. | , 
‘The bee is furnifhed with a fomach for its wax, as well as its honey 
In the former of the two, their powder is altered, digefted, and, con 
coéted into real wax : and is thus ejected by the fame paflage by which 
it was fwallowed. Every comb, newly made, is white: but it be- 
comes yellow as it grows old, and almolt black when kept too long i# 
the hive. Befide the wax thus digefted, there is a large portion of thé 
powder kneaded up for food in every hive, and kept in feparate cells 
for winter provifion. ‘This is called by the country people, bee-breadi 
and contributes to the health and ftrength of the animal during winte? 
‘Thofe who rear bees, may rob them of their honey, and feed the™ 
during the winter, with treacle; but no proper fubftitute has yet beet 
found for the bee-bread; and without it, the animals become confump* 
tive and die. : 
1 
the neftareum. From the mouth this delicious fluid pafles into th? 
gullet; and then into the fir ftomach, or honey-bag, which, whe? _ 
filled, appears like an oblong bladder. Childrén, that live in count*! 
places, are well acquainted with this bladder; and deflroy many bee 
to come at their ftore of honey. When a bee has fufliciently filled if] 
firft ftomach, it returns back to the. hive, where it difgorges the b? 
ney into one of the cells. It often happens that the bee delivers its 
tore to fome other, at the mouth of the hive, and flies off for a fre 
fupply. Some honey-combs are always left open for common ufe; DY 
As for the honey, it is extragted from that part of the flower called 
Many others are flopped up, till there is “ pepety SE cpegng cael 
a 
h 
