which in general will be in about five minutes. It is to be obferved, that the fuller the hive is of bees, the fooner they will have left it. As foon as a number of them have got into the empty hive, it should be raised a little from the full one, that the bees may not continue to run from the one to the other, but rather keep afcending upon one another d • So foon as all the bees are out of the full hive, the hive in which the bees are must be placed on the ftand from which the other hive was taken, in order to receive the absent bees as they return from the fields. If this is done early in the feason, the operator should examine the royal cells, that any of them that have young in them may be faved, as well as the combs which have young bees in them, which should on no account be touched, though, by fparing them, a good deal of honey be left behind. Then take out the other combs, with a long, broad, and pliable knife, fuch as the apothecaries make ufe of. The combs fhould be cut from the fides and crown as clean as poffible, to save the future labour of the bees, who must lick up the thoney spilt, and remove every remains of wax: and then the fides of the hive fhould be fcraped with a table-spoon, to clear away what was left by the knife. During the whole of sthis operation, the hive fhould be placed inclined to the fide from which the combs are taken, that the honey which is Spilt may not daub the remaining combs. If fome combs were unavoidably taken away, in which there are young bees, the parts of the combs in which they are fhould be returned into the hive, and fecured by flicks in the best manner poffible. Place the hive then for fome time upright, that any remaining honey may drain out. If the combs are built in a direction oppofite to the entrance, or at right angles with it, the combs which are the furtheft from the entrance are to be preferred; because there they are beft stored with honey, sand have the feweft young bees in them. Having thus finished taking the wax and honey, the next business is to return the bees to their old hive; and for this spurpose place a table covered with a clean cloth, near the rstand, and giving the hive in which the bees are a fudden flake, at the fame time ftriking it pretty forcibly, the bees will be fhaken on the cloth. Put their own hive over them immediately, raifed a little on one fide, that the chees may nthe more easily enter, and when all are entered place it on the itand as before. If the hive in which the bees are, be turned bottom uppermoft,qand their own hive be placed over it, the bees, will immediately afcend into it, especially if the lower hive is ftruck on the fides to alarm them. : ! As the chief object of the bees, during the fpring and beginning of the fummer, is the propagation of their kind, honey during that time is not collected in fuch quantity as it is afterwards and on this account it is fcarcely worth while to rob a hive before the latter end of June; nor is it safe to do it after the middle of July, left rainy weather may prevent their reftoring the combs they have loft, and laying in a stock of honey fufficient for the winter, unless there is a chance of car rying them to a rich pasture. • When we have reviewed the various means made use of both by the ancients and moderns in taking honey, it appears fomewhat furprising, that a method fo fimple as the above did not occur to them: and especially that M. de Reaumur » did not think of extending to general ufe, what he had frequently practifed in the courfe of his experiments. It seems he did not reflect on the effects of the fear impreffed on the bees by the continued noise, and how fubfervient it renders them to our wills: indeed to fuch a degree, that afford them but a quiet retreat, they will remain long attached to any place they are fettled upon; and will become fo mild and tractable, that they will bear any handling which does not hurt them, without the leaft fhew of refentment. On these occafions their only defire feems to be a wish to avoid fuch another disturbance as has reduced them to their prefent forlorn ftate, A person who has familiarized himself to bees can, by means of the paffion of fear thus impreffed upon them, and by that dex-.. terity in the management of them, which can only be acquired by practice; I fay, fuch a perfon can, in this fituation, manage the bees as he pleases. Spectators wonder at my attaching the bees to different parts of my body, and wifh much to be poffeffed of the fecret means by which I do it. I have unwarily promised to reveal it; and am therefore under a neceffity of performing that pro-, mife: but while I declare that their fear, and the queen, are my chief agents in thefe operations, I muft warn my readers. that there is an art neceffary to perform it, namely, practice, which I cannot convey to them, and which they cannot speedi ly attain; yet till this art is attained, the deftruction of many hives of bees must be the confequence; as every one will find on their first attempt to perform it. Long experience has taught me, that as foon as I turn up a hive, and give it fome taps on the fides and bottom, the queen immediately appears, to know the cause of this alarm: but foon retires again among her people. Being accustomed to fee her fo often, I readily perceive her at the first glance, and long practice has enabled me to feize her inftantly, with a ten tenderness that does not in the least endanger her perfon. This is of the utmost importance; for the leaft injury done to her brings immediate destruction to the hive, if you have not a fpare queen to put in her place, as I have too often experienced in my first attempts. When poffeffed of her, I can, without injury to her, or exciting that degree of refentment that may tempt her to fting me, flip her into my other hand, and, returning the hive to its place, hold her there till the bees, miffing her, are all on wing, and in the utmoft confufion. When the bees are thus diftreffed, I place the queen wherever I would have the bees to fettle. The moment a few of them discover her, they give notice to those near them, and thefe to the reft; the knowledge of which foon becomes fo general, that in a few minutes they all collect themselves round her; and are fo happy in having recovered this fole support of their state, that they will long remain quiet in their fituation. Nay, the fcent of her body is fo attractive of them, that the flightest touch of her, along any place or fubftance, will attach the bees to it, and induce them to purfue any path she takes. My attachment to the queen, and my tender regard for her precious life, makes me moft ardently with that I might here close the detail of this operation, which I am afraid, when attempted by unfkilful hands, will coft many of their lives; but my love of truth forces me to declare, that by practice I am arrived at so much dexterity in the management of her, that I can, without hurt to her, tie a thread of filk round her body, and thus confine her to any part in which the might not naturally wish to remain or I fometimes use the lefs dangerous way of clipping her wings on one fide. Dhall conclude this account in the manner of C. Furius Crefinus, who being cited before the Curule Edile, and an affembly of the people, to answer to a charge of forcery, founded on his reaping much larger crops, from his small spot of ground, than his neighbours did from their extenfive fields; produced his ftrong implements of husbandry, his well fed oxen, and a hale young woman, his daughter; and, pointing to them, faid, "Thefe, Romans, are my inftruments of witchcraft: but I cannot fhew you my toil, my fweats, and anxious cares." So may I fay, Thefe, Britons, are my inftruments of witchcraft; but I cannot fhew you my hours of attention to this fubject, my anxiety and care for these useful infects; nor can I communicate to you my experience, acquired during a courfe of years." Befides the articles above-mentioned, the author treats at large of several others relating to his fubject, which, as our er limits will not permit us to enter upon, we fhall only enumerate Thefe are, of the apiary and hives, of the fituation of the apiary, of hives, of boxes, of swarming, of the management of bees in hives and boxes, of fhifting the abodes of bees, of feparating the honey and wax, of difcovering bees in wood or buildings, and putting them into hives; of enemies to bees, of the difeafes of bees, off feeding bees, and of the care of them during the winter; of wafps and hornets, and of the means of deftroying them. We cannot conclude without expreffing the greatest fatisfaction, at the discovery of a method of obtaining the honey confiftently with the prefervation of the bees. It is probable, however, that the practice of it may be attended with fome difficulty, at the beginning; and Mr. Wildman offers, that if any of his fubfcribers do not chufe to manage their bees themselves, he will undertake it for the yearly fum of three guineas." VI. A Philofophical Survey of the Animal Creation, an Ellay. Wherein the general Devastation and Carnage, that reign among the different Classes of Animals are confidered in a new Point of View; and the vast Increase of Life and Enjoyment derived to the Whole from this Inftitution of Nature is clearly demonftrated, 8vo. Pr. 35. Johnson.za HE animal creation is a beautiful and ample field for which inhabit this globe are innumerable. › 'Air, earth, and sea, are impregnated with life. Not to mention the larger fpecies, there is hardly a clod of the valley, a drop of water, or a blade of grafs, which is not occupied by different forms of animated beings. These are all productions of the Deity, and formed for wife and useful purpofes. It is the bufinefs of the philofo pher to explore and elucidate the defign, beauty, and harmony of this amazing fyftem. Many celebrated naturalifts have written upon this fubject; but few of them have led us into more important and pleafing reflections than the ingenious aut thor of this effay. He does not indeed pretend to communicate any recent difcoveries of natural hiftory; those which he recites are univerfally known; but he places them in a new light; he brings the different fpecies of animals into one view, and points out the ends which they were intended to answer in the great fcale of nature. 208 313 113 tais tix Suw Tedio 100 He divides the fubject into three parts. In the first he treats of the nature of life in general, its ends, extent, and variety; in the fecond he confiders the oppofition which perpetually fub fifts between animals of a different race, with the advantages arifing from this oppofition; in the third he anfwers fome objections which may be alleged against his theory; and treats of the law of multiplication, its origin, and effects. A The general hoftility which prevails in the animal fyftem is a phenomenon with which many have been greatly embar raffed. How to reconcile it with the idea of a beneficent Providence, who watches over the happiness and prefervation of all his creatures, is the difficulty. Some have fuppofed, that it is a neceffary confequence of that univerfal corruption, in which they imagine all nature to be involved fince the fall of Adam, Others have thought that there must be a future ftate, a paradife provided for the wretched martyrs among the brutal race, as well as for those who merit this title among the human. But, fays our author, not to obferve that thefe hypothefes are void of foundation in the actual conftitution of things; they do not remove the difficulties, but only fubftitute one in the place of another. It is very evident that Providence not only permits, but has defigned, that animals fhould devour each other. From whence arifes that defire apparent in most men to feed upon flesh? or if you suspect human nature to be depraved in this respect, examine the other fpecies. See how fome animals thirst after the blood of others; how nature has armed them with claws and teeth to put their bloody purpose in execution; while fhe has only endowed the victims of their fury with vigilance and activity; and to others fhe has left no other means of defence than cries and groans. Confider the voraciousness of the eagle, the furprizing ftrength of its bill, and its piercing eye, that darts swift as lightning upon the moft diftant objects: contemplate the fpider's web, with what truth is it conftructed, and with what addrefs do they employ it to entangle their prey. It is evident, I fay, that animals are in a state of perpetual war, and that it is the will of their Creator that one should live upon another. And what is the confequence? That the works of the Omnipotent are defective? Or that the world, which was created perfect, has fince fallen into a general depravity? These by no means follow. Proofs of the depravity of nature may be fought after elsewhere. It is no lefs certain, that the law which enjoins the destruction of one animal for the advantage of another, contributes to the increafe and happiness of life. Th To evince the truth of this affertion the author endeavours to prove, that this law introduces feveral new fpecies, which could not otherwife exift; and that the acceffion of these new species is not, in any respect, prejudicial to the other; but on the contrary, ufeful, and in fome refpects, neceffary, in s Among the animals which are thus introduced into the fyftem of |