fortune, the noisy tumult subsides, and the bees quietly resume their labours. A bee, deprived of its antennæ, immediately becomes dull and listless: it desists from its usual labours, remains at the bottom of the hive, seems attracted only by the light, and takes the first opportunity of quitting the hive, never more to return. A queen-bee, thus mutilated, ran about without apparent object, as if in a state of delirium, and was incapable of directing her trunk with precision, to the food which was offered to her. Latreille relates that, having deprived some labouring ants of their antennæ, he replaced them near the nest; but they wandered in all directions, as if bewildered, and unconscious of what they were doing. Some of their companions were seen to notice their distress, and approaching them with apparent compassion, applied their tongues to the wounds of the sufferers, and anointed them with their saliva. This trait of sensibility was repeatedly witnessed by Latreille, while watching their movements with a magnifying glass.-Dr RoGET'S Bridgewater Treatise. The following incident, illustrative of the affection of bees for their queen, is very graphically described by Mr Bagster, in his work on the Management of Bees, an occupation to which the author seems to be enthusiastically attached. Our readers are probably not aware that the process of taking the honey is not necessarily attended, as was formerly the case, with the destruction of the wonderful little insects, who with so much labour and skill have hoarded their treasures as a provision against future exigencies. A species of large mushroom (Fungus maximus), commonly known by the name of "bunt," "puckfist," or "frog-cheese," is humanely employed by those who wish to spare the lives of their bees, whilst taking possession of their sweets. A small piece of this "puck," previously dried, and properly prepared, being ignited and placed underneath a hive, operates by its vapour as a powerful narcotic upon the bees, which fall unhurt into an empty hive, placed to receive them. By exposure to the fresh air, these bees are soon restored to health and activity; when they set about repairing the loss which, during the temporary suspension of their busy existence, they have sustained. Mr Bagster had been taking some stocks of honey, in the way we have just mentioned, when an accident happening to one of his hives, the queen bee was thrown out, and a scene of distress and considerable confusion ensued. "I thought," says Mr Bagster, that I might have put the queen into possession amongst some of the comb; but to be certain, I gathered up every bee I could find, and put the emptied hives on their side against mine, so that the queen might have every opportunity to get in, if not already there. The profusion of spilt honey, the hot weather, and the bees from my other hives, caused a great commotion, so that the real cause, the absence of the queen, was undiscovered. The next day the same hurlyburly continued; when fearing that my queen was unseated, I took an apiarian friend to form a judgment. It was his opinion that there surely was a queen in my new hive, or that, if destroyed, one soon would be made out of the brood-comb. I pointed to groups of bees on the grass, and around the stand, still fearing that my queen was among them; but he so positively said such was not the fact, that I did not then examine any of the masses. Naturally inquisitive under such eircumstances, I visited my perturbed hive late in the evening, and found, The great commotion was instantly changed to peace. She was caressed,-licked over and fondled, while the others were quiet, that this was in an uncomfortable state. All the masses or companies of bees, which had been licking up the bees pressing round, who, 1 the dropping sweets through the with an affection worthy of the 1 day, had now retired, save only one best subjects of a beloved monarch, lot, about as large and as round as showed their attachment in terms a small cricket-ball. At dark I a-, that even human tongues could not gain visited them,-hope revived, exceed. for the mass remained unmoved: by the earliest peep of day I rose from bed, after a sleepless night to look for my beauty. "I confess myself an enthusiast; I laid myself at full length on the grass, and with my hand gently opened the benumbed, but still clustering, mass: there was the queen, surrounded by her faithful and watchful subjects, paralyzed, and to all appearance quite dead. I picked her up, placed her in my hands; breathed upon and cherished her for a considerable time, until, I think with joy of a new kind, I saw her move one joint of one leg: my tender care was renewed until the sun had mounted high in the heavens, and by his beams renewed the purturbation of the defenceless hive. The demonstrations of misery were renewed tenfold when any one approached the hive; and then, indeed, courage was necessary, for the bees had just missed their queen. To those alone who have witnessed such commotion can an idea be conveyed. "Now came the delightful scene, -my queen was restored by the genial warmth of my hand, and walked comfortably about it; the bees, her subjects, were whirling in incensed erouds around the hive: the buzz of discontent was incessant, and clearly marked. At this moment, I called all who were in the house, to witness the scene. I placed the queen on the alighting-board at the door of the hive: she was recognised in a moment; the pass-touch, or pass-word, or pass-hum, was communicated. | "From that moment all was peace, and harmony, and joyful labour. Very few of the brood were destroyed by the accident which gave rise to the developement of this peculiar instinct; and I hope I treasure up the remembrance of the circumstance, as one more proof of the truth of that passage of Scripture, 'God doeth great things, and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.'" O. N. MEXICAN BEES. FROM the Plaza we went to a house where a bee-hive of the country was opened in our presence. The bees, the honeycomb, and the hive, differ essentially from those of Europe. The hive is generally made out of a log of wood, from two to three feet long, and eight or ten inches in diameter, hollowed out, and closed at the ends with circular doors, cemented closely to the wood, but capable of being removed at pleasure. Some persons use cylindrical hives, made of earthenware, instead of the clumsy apparatus of wood; these are relieved by raised figures and circular rings, so as to form rather handsome ornaments in the verandah of a house, where they are suspended by cords from the roof, in the same manner that the wooden ones in the villages are hung to the eaves of the cottages. On one side of the hive, half-way between the ends there is a small hole made, just large enough for a loaded bee to enter, and shaded by a projection, to prevent the rain from trickling in. In this hole, generally representing the mouth of a man, or some monster, the head of which is moulded in the clay of the hive, a bee is constantly stationed, whose office is no sinecure; for the hole is so small, he has to draw back every time a bee wishes to enter or leave the hive. A gentleman told me, that the experiment was made by marking the centinel, when it was observed, that the same bee continued at his post a whole day. When it is ascertained by the weight that the hive is full, the end-pieces are removed, and the honey withdrawn. The hive we saw opened was only partly filled, which enabled us to see the economy of the interior to more advantage. The honey is not contained in the elegant hexagonal cells of our hives, but in wax bags, not quite so large as an egg; these bags, or bladders, are hung round the sides of the hives, and appear about half-full, the quantity being, probably, just as great as the strength of the wax will bear without tearing. Those nearest the bottom, being better supported, are more filled than the upper ones. In the centre, or the lower part of the hive, we observed an irregularshaped mass of comb furnished with cells, like those of our bees, all containing young ones, in such an advanced state, that when we broke the comb and let them out, they flew merrily away. During this examination of the hive, the comb and the honey were taken out, and the bees disturbed in every way, but they never stung us, though our faces and hands were covered with them. It is said, however, that there is a bee in the country which does not sting; but the kind we saw seem to have neither the power nor the inclination, for they certainly did not hurt us, and our friends said they were always muy manso, (very tame,) and never stung any one. The honey gave out a rich aromatic perfume, and tasted differently from ours, but possessed an agreeable flavour. -BASIL HALL'S Travels in South America. MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. IT is well known, that most insects undergo, in the course of their existence, a threefold metamorphosis, transformation, or change. Any persons who have amused themselves with keeping silk-worms, or have watched the common caterpillar, in its changes, will readily understand what is here alluded to. As the common cabbage-caterpillar is well known to us all, and may be easily observed by all classes, we will take that as an instance for the purpose of illustrating the subject. We have all, I suppose, seen on the leaves of the gardencabbage, the little parcels of eggs, from which the caterpillars come forth. From each of those eggs, in due time, there breaks out a little caterpillar. It is seen wormlike crawling along upon sixteen short legs, greedily devouring leaves with its two jaws, and seeing by the means of twelve eyes, which are so minutely small as scarcely to be discerned without the aid of the microscope. This is the creature's first state of existence. After a short period, the caterpillar having several times changed his skin, and at length grown to its full size, seeks out some place of concealment, secreting itself in some hole in a wall, or burying itself under the surface of the ground, or sometimes only attaching itself by a silken web, to the under-side of a leaf. There it is changed into what we usually call a chrysalis, which in appearance is an animal shut up in a sort of egg-shaped case, of a bright greenish colour, variegated with spots of a shining black. Whilst in this state, the creature is | Butterfly. What a stupendous wonder is this transformation! How overwhelmed should we be with amazement at it, if we were now made acquainted with it for the first time, instead of being familiar with it from our earliest days. without a mouth or eyes, without legs or wings. It takes no nourishment, but lies in a torpid and dormant condition, showing no other symptom of life, than a slight movement when touched. In this deathlike torpor, the insect exists for several months. After this it at length bursts through its case, and as it were escaping from its confinement, it comes forth a Butterfly. Now you view it furnished with beautiful wings, capable of rapid and extensive flights. Of the sixteen feet of the Caterpillar ten have disappeared, and the remaining six are in most respects altogether unlike those whose place they have taken. Its jaws have vanished away, and in their stead we observe a curled-up trunk, suited only for sipping liquid sweets. The form of its head is entirely changed: two long horns rise on the upper part, and instead of twelve almost invisible eyes, you behold two very large eyes, composed of at least 20,000 parts, (called lenses,) each of which is supposed to answer the purpose of a distinct and perfect eye. Now looking at these three states of the same creature, we certainly behold in appearance, at least, three distinct animals, as different from each other, or nearly so, as the bird which flies in the air from the serpent and the shell-fish: and yet all It is very remarkable that the ancient Heathens, though they had not the glorious beams of the Gospel to guide their views on this subject, seem to have regarded these insect-changes as foretelling that which they hoped themselves to experience. Hence we are told, that on some of their gravestones which have been dug up in later years, the image of the Butterfly is found sculptured over the name or the inscription which they bear. They placed that image there, as a fit representation of the soul, (in Greek Psyché,) and as an intimation that it would one day come forth again under a new form, and in a new region of existence. And thus it answered to that cheering word, which is read on some of the hatchments set up in our churches, Resurgam, which is "I shall rise again." It clearly and beautifully expresses what is contained in those words of not unfrequent occurrence in our church-yards, Non omnis moria, or, "I shall not wholly die." Indeed, the allusion is so striking, and so suitable, that the writer from whom these ob one and the same living creature: servations are chiefly taken, has all united by one and the same prin- not hesitated to express his belief ciple of life. This alone seems to that one of the great purposes of continue permanent and abiding the Creator in forming his Insectthroughout this threefold change. kingdom, was to excite this sentiThe bodily substance undergoes the ment in the human heart, and thus most striking transformations; but to raise the thinking mind to look the existing and feeling self re- forward to a future revival and throughall. The same animal crawls Chiefly abridged from SHARON mains, increasing and unaltered resurrection from the tomb.-D.I.E. in its caterpillar-shape, rests or TURNER'S Sacred History of the sleeps in its torpid chrysalis, and World. afterwards springs forth into the air on the feathered wing of the liar and long intervening seasons give birth to insects from causes not to be divined. We may, how ever, conclude, that we are indebted to some unusual circumstance for the introduction of this sphynx,— and that its favourite food, the pototato-plant, nourished it to the increase of its species. THE DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH. OUR extensive cultivation of the potato, furnishes us annually with several specimens of that fine animal, the Death's-head Moth (acherontia atropos): and in some years I have had as many as eight brought me in the larva, or chrysalis state. Their changes are very uncertain. I have had the larva change to a chrysalis in July, and produce the moth in October; but generally the chrysalis remains unchanged till the ensuing summer. The larvæ, or caterpillars, strange ungainly beasts," as some of our peasantry call them, excite constant attention when seen, by their extraordinary size and uncommon mien, with horns and tail, being not unusually five inches in length, and as thick as a finger. This creature was formerly considered as one of our rarest insects, and it was doubt-acherontia occasions to some of the ful whether it were truly a native; but for the last twenty years, from the profuse cultivation of the potato, it has become not very uncom mon. Many insects are now certainly found in England, which former collectors, indefatigable as they were, did not know that we possessed; while others again have been lost to us moderns. Some probably might be introduced with the numerous foreign plants recent ly imported, or this particular food may have tended to favour the increase of those already existing; but how such a creature as this could have been brought with any plant, is quite beyond comprehension. We may import continental varieties of potatoes, but the Death's-head Moth we have never observed to have any connexion with the potato itself, or inclination for it. As certain soils will produce plants by exposure to the sun's rays, or by aid of peculiar manners, when no pre-existent root or germ could reasonably be supposed to exist; so will pecu Superstition has been particularly active in suggesting causes of alarm from the insect world; and, where man should have seen only beauty and wisdom, he has often found terror and dismay. The yellow and brown tailed moths, the deathwatch, our snails, and many others, have all been the subjects of his fears; but the dread excited in England by the appearance, noises, or increase of insects, are petty apprehensions when compared with the horror that the presence of this more fanciful and superstitious natives of northern Europe, who are full of the wildest notions. A letter is now before me from a correspondent, in German Poland, where this insect is a common creature, and so abounded in 1824, that my informer collected fifty of them in the potato-fields of his village, where they call them the " Death's-head Phantom," the "Wandering Deathbird," &c. The markings on its back represent to these fertile imaginations the head of a perfect skeleton, with the limb-bones crossed beneath; its cry becomes the voice of anguish-the moaning of a child-the signal of grief; it is regarded not as the creation of a benevolent Being, but the device of evil spirits-spirits, enemies to man-conceived and fabricated in the dark; and the very shining of its eyes is thought to represent the fiery element whence it is supposed to have proceeded. Flying into their apartments in the evening, it at times extinguishes the light, foretelling war, pestilence, hunger, |