of NATURAL HISTORY. 
than that gathered in fummer, which Jaft is ftill more valuable, that, 
that of autumn, when the flowers begin to fade and lofe their fra’ 
grance. 
The bees are nearly alike in all parts of the world, yet there aré 
differences worthy our notice. In Guadaloupe, the bee is lefs by on@ 
half, than the European, and more black and round. ‘They have 10 
fting, and make their cells in hollow trees; where, if the hole they 
meet with is too large, they form a fort of waxen houfe, of the fhapé 
of a pear, and in this they lodge and ftore their honey, and lay theif j 
eggs. They lay up their honey in waxen veflels, of the fize of a pk 
geon’s egg, of a black or deep violet colour: and thefe are fo joine 
together, that there is no fpace left between them. The honey never 
congeals, but is fluid, of the confiftence of oil, and the colour of am 
ber. Refembling thefe, there are are found little black bees, without 
a fting, in all the tropical climates; and though thefe countries are re” 
plete with bees, like our own, yet thofe form the mofkt ufeful and laborious 
tribe in that part of the world. The honey they produce, is neither 
fo unpalatable, nor fo furfeiting as ours; and the wax is fo foft, that 
it is only ufed for medicinal purpofes, it being never found hard enoug!t 
to form into candles, as in Europe. ; 
Of infeéts, that receive the name of bees, among us, there are fe- 
veral; which, however, differ very widely from that induftrious, {0° 
cial race we have been juft defcribing. ‘Fhe Humsuet Ber is the lat’ 
geft of all this tribe, being as large as the firlt joint of one’s middle 
finger. -Thefe are feen in every field, and perched on every flowel 
They build their neft in holes in the ground, of dry leaves, mixed with 
wax and wool, defended with mofs from the weather. Each humble 
bee makes a feparate cell about the fize of a fmall nutmeg, which ¥ 
round and hollow, containing the honey in a bag. Several of thefe 
~ cells are joined together, in fuch a manner, that the whole appears 
like a clutter of grapes. ‘Phe females, which have the appearance © 
wafps, are very few, and'their eggs are laid in cells, which the ré 
foon cover over with wax. It is uncertain whether they have a quee? 
or not; but there is one much larger than the reft, without wings a0@ 
without hair, and all over black, like polifhed ebony. This goes am 
views all the works, from time to time, and enters into the cell, as ® 
it wanted to fee whether every thing was done right: In the morning” 
the young humble bees are very idle, and feem not at all inclined t@ 
labour, till one of the largeft, about feven o’clock,. thrufts half its b0% 
dy from a hole, defigned for that purpofe, and feated on the top © 
the neft, beats its wings for twenty minutes fucceflively, buzzing the 
whole time, till the whole colony is put in motion. The humble bees 
gather honey, as well as the common bees;-but it is neither fo fine, 00" 
fo good, nor the wax fo clean, or fe capable of fufion. 
Befides the bees already mentioned, there are various kinds among. 
us, that have much the appearance of honey-makers, and yet mas 
only wax.. The Woop Bee is feen inevery garden. It is rather lar’ 
ger than the common queen bee; its body of a-blueifh black, which 8 
fmooth and fhining. It begins to appear at the approach of {pring?, 
and is feen flying near walls expofed to a funny-afpe@. This be 
makes its neft in fome piece of wood, which it contrives to feoop 4% 
‘hollow for-its_purpofe. This,. however is never done in trees that , 
Bos ftandine” 
a 
