The Portland daily press., 1865-09-15
2 MvsrnRIEs OF a pDu.n1LvrrI.

Rev. DIR. Ca nning, of England, recently de-
livered, a lecture in Liverpool, on. ssBees, Bee
hives and Bee Masters" from which we make
the following extract, as reported in an English
paper: - s''--- y - -
The lecturer said he was in the habit. with
his wife and children, of going down to a cot
tage in Kent in the summer months, and, as
had been wisely said, the bow must not be al
ways bent, he had sought out amusement in
hours that he could spare from those duties
which devolved on him as a minister, thai he
had found that amusement in. studying the
hive, and the result Of that study was the OBJ
servati0ns which he would lay before them
At his cottage he had nearly dozen hives
some of them had glass windows, and some
had not. Frequently during the day he sat
by these hives, listened to the music Of the in
habitants, and watched their habits, and lot
ted down such observations as occurred to
him. The lecturer proceeded to describe the
inhabitants Of the hive: There are not three
different kinds OF bees, but three species of
bees, in the same hive--the queen bee, the
working bee, and the drone bee. There was
division OF labor among the working bees.
There were the bees that collected the honey.
bees that collected bee-bread for the nourish-
ment OF the young brood, bees appointed to
shape the cells, others to guard the hive, and
lastly, bees TO Feptilate the hive. 1t was Gu
lious fact that the honey bee did not go from
Eewer to flower, but selected one flower, up
on which it settled, and labored upon that sim
He could take any Of his bees in his hand
without any fear of their stinging him; but if
stranger went near, the guards at once sus-
pected HIM and immediately few al him
The sentinels relieved each other at intervals.
mounting guard three or four times. IF
hive were watched, it would be fuund that
those VINO were appointed as yentilasors, came
to the mouth OF the hive four or five AT. 4
time, and using their wings as fans kent
up current OF air. so that the other workers
labored In moderate temperature. II was a
curious fact and well worthy of notice that If
a bee master, IN order to ventilate the biv !.
made hole in the top, the bees inmediataly
closed it up. From this it would seem that
the bees knew that fresh air was essential to
healthy life, but the draught was pernicious.
In describing the queen bee, and the great
.deference and attention paid it by the other
bees, the reverend doctor said that he had OBJ
served that the bees were very fond Of strong
drink, and especially of rum sweetened with
sugar. On one occasion he found the bees in
one Of his hives declining, and he gave them
90 oSi,le I rum to revive Them sdnstead, however,
oa,os ~ o.ins 1t as medicine, they drank to ex
1oS5 ior, on looking into the hive subsequent
Sshag; s me louna az the ladies in waiting instead Of
pslasllls themselves in their usual decorous
sell very tottering. In fact. thev had got q
drums that though j. was III Noysm6er i JI,sy tbey
thought Il was swarning time and r,'sf - s,.Sy
Of the hive but thefrosty air soon eSeI sent oas
back to their hive and her sober s1 sense. sa.ein
Ot drones, Qp male bees, there ,,s,n rsss. 90
800 to 1000 In hive. 1t MICH. "Sae ~ ,i iIon
what was the use. Of 1900 drcne Ssas Is ainea *
hive since the queen only selected ons ses y n 9
husband, and If the husband died, never rs ner
,ried another, but remained a widow Wen Wei
this was puzzling question. he had made =
discovery, which led him to adopt a theory
which he must acknowledge had been Opposed
by certain able apiarians During the breed
ing time, when the bees were developing in
the cells appointed for the purpose, the tenn