Transcriber Note Text emphasis denoted by _Italics_. HINTS ON THE HISTORY AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HONEY BEE; BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF TWO LECTURES READ BEFORE THE MEMBERS OF THE HEREFORD LITERARY, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND ANTIQUARIAN INSTITUTION, IN THE WINTER OF 1850-51, BY EDWARD BEVAN, M.D. HEREFORD: PRINTED AT THE TIMES OFFICE, WIDEMARSH-STREET. MDCCCLI. This Lecture elicited so much approbation as to induce the Author to have a few copies printed, for the amusement and instruction of those who may feel an interest in the subject. HISTORY AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HONEY BEE. Dr. Bevan (the author of a well-known and admirable manual for apiarians) took as the theme of his paper the HISTORY OF THE HONEY-BEE. The learned gentleman began by saying,--Mr. President. Ladies, and Gentlemen--You have before you a very old man, but a very young lecturer; so young that this is the first time in my life that I ever was induced to address a public assembly. Nor might I have summoned courage enough to do so now, but for the very powerful appeal which was made to us all by our worthy President in his inaugural address, wherein, after the manner of the immortal Nelson, he admonished us that every member of this Society is expected to do his duty--that is to say, that individual attainments should be thrown into a common stock, from which each might draw, and to which each might contribute, with reciprocal benefit. In obedience to this admonition, and in furtherance of its laudable object, I now proceed to throw in my mite of information.--The subject to which I have the honor and the pleasure to bespeak your attention this evening is the history and management of that indefatigable Little insect the honey bee. But, it is a subject on which I hardly know how to address such an assembly, owing to the various degrees of information which must needs be distributed among you. Some of you I imagine to have a very limited acquaintance with bees, for the majority of those with whom I have conversed in other places respecting them have had their whole knowledge comprised in being simply aware that they can sting and gather honey. To such of my auditors, if any such there be, it would seem right that I should commence with the A B C of the subject, even at the risk of proving tiresome to those who are more extensively informed; and some there are here present, I have no doubt, who know as much about the matter as I do, perhaps more. From such I can only bespeak indulgence. Of all the various members of the insect race, there is none which so abounds