176

FIGURES OF BEE-BOXES AND BEE-GRUBS.

B An entire colony of four boxes.

A The square hole for communication between the boxes.

S The sliding shutter.

X The section of a box, showing the frame, with four pins to

fasten it.

A more general, extensive, familiar, and useful Plan,

THAN

ANY OTHER WORK OF THE KIND YET PUBLISHED.

BY R. SYDSERFF,

LEIGH ON MENDIP.

SALISBURY:

PRINTED BY B. C. COLLINS.

M.DCC.XCII.

SYDSERFF'S

TREATISE ON BEES.

THE PREFACE.

SOME years ago I met with an old treatise on Bees, which mentioned many kings and queens in one and the same Hive; and also related, that males and females are found among the working Bees, with many other strange absurdities, which I think unnecessary to be repeated in this place.

From that time I was desirous of seeing a treatise which should be every way instructive, easy, and practical, and confined entirely to matters of fact; but I was at a loss where to find it, and made many enquiries, without effect, for that purpose.

For the instruction of my own children, I determined, after some consideration, to write down what I had proved and believed to be true, from my own experience, without any intention that it should be seen by them, or any one else, until I was taken from them. But before I began to write, I met with a compendium of natural philosophy, with which I was highly entertained and delighted; and the

180 NO LONGER PUT BUSINESS OFF TILL TO-MORROW.

rather, as the greatest part of it was on the subject of Bees, and contained many circumstances which I had before proved, and believed to be strictly true.

On this account I have extracted it, almost verbatim, unless where he tells us that the Bees are as kind to a strange female, and shew the same respect to her as to their proper sovereign, which certainly is a great mistake. But of this I am ready to acquit the translator, who perhaps had neither opportunity nor leisure to try the experiment, having work of greater importance always on his hands. Mr. Reaumier, therefore, must have propagated the error, as one who pretended that he had tried it.

When I had wrote about thirty pages, I laid it by inclosed in a book, without thinking any more about it; but some time after, a person, opening the book, saw it, and, unknown to me, took it away. He shewed it first to one, then to another, till it was no longer a secret. Being under many obligations to different persons, I was under a necessity of lending it from one to another. Most of those who had then seen it, earnestly intreated me to get it printed; this was a measure I could think nothing of. I was then desired to write it over again (as much of it as was lost), and finish it, which I promised to do, but postponed from time to time, until I was importuned by the Rev. Mr. Watkins, of Leigh on Mendip, for that purpose. On assuring him that I would get a book and do it, he then gave me one; telling me, at the same time, that now I had no excuse for delaying it. Though I fully intended to do it, it was still put off from time to time, until the latter end of the year 1788. I was then seized with a putrid fever, and soon became insensible. Being given over by the physician, and nothing but death appearing probable, it lay much on my mind in the interval of my senses, and I was determined (if I should be spared) no longer to put off the business till to-morrow.

Having thus informed the reader by what steps this treatise has arrived to its present state, I have only to add, that