or more in size, where it can move freely. This bee is the founder of the comb. The worker bee is provided with a pair of pincers at the joint of her hind-legs; with these she now seizes a scale of the wax formed under her body, and, drawing it forward with the claws of her fore-legs, conveys it to her mouth. Here she breaks the little scale into pieces, softening it all the time with a frothy liquid from her tongue. This gives it a whiteness and clearness which it had not before; and it comes out of the mouth of the bee in the form of a very narrow ribbon. Then she takes it up again with her claws, moistens it once more, works it over, and passes it a second time from her mouth, but in an opposite direction. Throughout this process, the tongue of the bee, as she applies it to the wax, puts on various shapes sometimes it is flat, like a trowel, and sometimes pointed, as a pencil. When the particles of wax are thus softened and prepared, the worker bee, who is about to begin the comb, places them against the roof of the hive, arranging them as she pleases with the point of her jaws. She then takes a second scale from her body and employs it in the same manner, uniting the particles with those of the first; and again a third, until she has disposed of all she has; when she quits her work and disappears among her companions. Another bee, with wax under her rings, now leaves the cluster, and, suspending itself to the same spot, and taking out a scale with the pincers of her hind-legs, passes it into her mouth, and goes on with her work in the same way, joining her prepared wax to the other, and placing it in a line with the deposit made by the first bee. A third succeeds; then another; all following one and the same course, till a little low partition of wax, two-thirds of an inch in length, and about two-thirds of the height of a cell, is formed against the roof of the hive. If any particle of the wax is placed improperly by one bee, the next coming removes it to the proper place. Thus the foundation of the cells is laid; but no trace of their shape or size is yet to be seen. The work is now to be taken up by another set of bees. You have seen the masons engaged in building the walls of a house, and the labourers supplying them with the loads of brick or stone and mortar, necessary for carrying on their work. We may call the first bees the labourers, who prepare and convey the stone and the mortar; and after them come the masons, who are to use the materials in building the house. The wax-makers are worker bees; they prepare the wax and lay the foundation: the nurse or sculpture bees are workers also, and they follow to construct the cells. No sooner is the little mass of wax large enough to admit a nurse or sculpture bee between the wax-makers, than they begin their work; at first, a single bee alone, as before. On one side of the waxen wall it makes a hollow with its jaws, which is about the size, and is intended for the bottom of a single cell. When it has worked some minutes, it retires, and another bee follows, making the cavity deeper, by raising up the walls around it and giving them a more upright form. When this cell is partly finished, two others are begun at the back of it, and another on each side; and thus the work goes on till, by degrees, the whole is completed. The bees appear to judge of the quality and fitness of all their work by means of their antennæ or feelers. Every particle of wax they use they feel over with these organs; which are so flexible and delicate, that they are to them in the place of eyes and hands; they serve as compasses and measures, and guide them in every part of their work. They are averse to light, and quickly close up every chink in their hive by which it could enter. In the darkness the bee builds her comb, fills the cells with honey, feeds her young, and attends to all their wants. While the cells are building, they appear to be of a dull white-colour; the wax is soft, and not quite smooth; but, in a few days, a yellow tint is spread over them, particularly at the edges, which become thicker and firmer, less brittle, and more solid. Before this, the comb would crumble and break at the slightest touch. This is called the varnishing of the cells, or covering them with the peculiar substance called propolis; but it is not yet known what gives the yellow colouring to the wax. The cells of the honeycomb are used for storing honey and bee-bread, and for cradles for the young bees. The cells in which the workers are reared are begun first; they never vary in size. They are smaller than those for the drones. The drone-cells are generally placed in the middle or sides of the comb; seldom in the upper part. The royal cells for the queens are built last of all. Of these there are usually four or five, and sometimes ten or twelve, in a hive. When a queen has come forth, the cell is partially eaten away by the bees, and reduced in size, so as to resemble an acorn-cup in shape, and they fill up the space with a row of common cells, that no room may be lost. SONG OF THE BEES. "We watch for the light of the morning to break, With its blended hues of saffron and lake; "And off we fly to the hill and dell, To the field, to the meadow and bower, "While each, on the good of her sister bent, We hope for an evening of heart's content, THE VIOLET. HAST thou passed by the hedge-row at eventide? and has a delicious fragrancy been all about thee, and thou knewest not whence it came? Hast thou searched, and found the sweet violet hidden beneath its leaves, and known that it was that which gave its odours to the air around thee? Thus, my child, should the Christian make sweet the place of his abode, with the perfume of his good deeds; and thus, in all humility, should he endeavour to remain unnoticed himself. When thou seest the hungry fed and the naked clothed, the sick man visited and the widow comforted-search, and thou shalt find the flower whence all this odour arose thou shalt find full often that the Christian hath been there, constrained by the love of Christ. Hear what he says: "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly," Matt. vi. 3, 4. 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matt. v. 16. BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL." SWEET it is to see a child, Ever ready to perform Acts of kindness to a worm: Grieving that the world should be Such a scene of misery. "God is love," and never can |