The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1828-11-22

neuter eggs IN certain cells OF particular constTuC
ton in fact, the eggs laid, at least many of them,
as Soon the foundations begun before the cells
are built The bees know, from the peculiar shape
of the egg, that it is to have cell of certain dimen
sions When the neuter and drone eggs deposit
ted, the royal cells then filed for abundant obser
vatons prove that the queen eggs are laid last Ii the
royal cells are not sufficient to hold all the queen eggs,
they laid in the common cells, and in the course of
the regular business of the hve these cells are at
tended to with the rest. When the larya is of size
to fill the CELL covering Of is put on, and here
ends the life, rather the embryo of the queen; for
no longer having room to expand, it pershes and is
dragged out in the nymph form, as soon as the bees
discover that animation is extinct IT, during the pro-
gress of the egg from the larva to the nymph state,
the mother queen dies, and there eggs in the
royal cells then the bees have recourse to the queen
eggs that laid in the common cells By charging
the entrance, and by attaching to it CELL which hangs
vertically, they continue the life of the arva, and
queen bee is formed.
Here is no work of transformation. The insect is
already formed, and nothing remains to be done, but
the mere mechanical operation of building haba-
ton, which shall be adequate to its wants. The pecu-
liar organic construction Of the queen bee perhaps re-
quires difference of food perceive it does of
dwelling. No doubt it is necessary to supply more
abundantly, and with greater The very posi-
ton it is compelled to take, shows that it requires
different kind of nurture from either the common bee
the drone 1t is wonderful that instinct is so com
petent TO direct these changes but it would be more
than wonderful, it, in addition to this instinct, the bee
had the power 10 construct neic organs as 1t does
different cells, and thus to endow the insect with
different nature.
The third point unsettled and which is likely to
main for secret is, whether the eggs of the
queen are Matched after the manner of the eggs of
fishes, whether they simply are animated by incuba
ton, or by the care and nourishment bestowed upon
them by the working or neuter bees.
On this point experiment has proved nothing. The
greatest diversity of opinion exists. There up
wards of thousand writers the history and policy
of the bee, and yet two have either observed or
reasoned alike. Even the two distinguished natural
lists who have passed the best portion Of their lives in
studying bees, with equal zeal and with equal oppor
tuny, have come 10 very different conclusions HUI
Der is by far the most circumstantial eXperimentas
who has turned his attention TO this subject But his
truly philosophical mind has been rendered conpara-
lively useless, nay worse than useless, by the gno
rance or wiltul misrepresentation of his assistant
Francis Burncns, Huber could but philosophse ON
facts they daily represented TO him. Ills So
lutions of things unreal, and having no truth in na-
ture are most ingenious and rational Had his phys
ical sight been as perfect hsmental vision, his work
would doubtless have been all that could be effected
| by the industry and talent of man.
Tie naturaliss of Europe, misled by his extraor-
binary talent, adopted Hubers notions with respect
to bees, and his opinions were considered conclu-
siye. The public opinion became mbued with the
spirit of his doctrines and find the greatest and
acutest reasoners discussing. in perfect security the