A profitable instruction of the perfect ordering of Bees/First Treatise/Chapter 1
Why Bees are names to be creaſted or parted betweene, or as it were ringed, or rather pleighted. What work the ſwarme newe gathered in the Hiue, firſt taketh in hande, and whether they maye liue after their ſtings bee gone. Cap. firſt.
Linie nameth Bees Cleft beaſts, bicauſe of the diuiſion or parting betweene of the head & ſhoulders: and Ariſtotle {{bl|nameth thē plighted or ringed, in that their bodies are diuided with plightes and rings. And moſt men know, that the Bees haue neyther ſinewes, bones, fleſhe, grittle, backe-bone, nor fat, but are only created of a certaine mixture, being a meane between theſe, and hauing a very few intrailes. And againe, no man needeth to doubte, but that the Bees be a kinde of beaſts, greatly to be ſet by for man vſe, & for mans prouiſion, are nouriſhed of the aire, paſſing throughe the diuided places, which they by great diligence and care preſerue from being ſtopped, for as ſoone as they be ſtopped, they ſhortly after die, like as the ſame we may learne, when anye happeneth to fall or light into Dyle, which ſtraight way after die, throughe the Dyle ſtopping then their powers. They haue and fly with foure wings, that they maye the better carrye in their bellies the ſtings of reuengement. For when two of thē ſtriue togither in flight, then do they hold and keep their ſtings in their mouths by a greedy deſire, or for eagerneſſe ſake. Now after the ſeauen ſtarres named}} Vergiliæ, be once riſen in ſight aboue our horizon, then do they hyde thē in their proper holes, ſo that they go ſeldome after abroade, vntill the Beanes doe bud, and if they happen to beginne at any tyme to flye abroade when as a fayre daye moueth them forwarde, then lacke they no ſuche dayes afterwarde, but occupy themſelues. And firſte they prepare and make their combes, which they faſhion into apt houſes, or rather celles of waxe, after this they haue yong, and then beginne they to gather hony. They liue alſo the longer by hauing their ſtings, for that once gone, or taken away, they dye forthwith through the lacke of their intrailes, whiche they loſe togither with their ſtings.