I love Réaumur's work. And the plates!...Wonderful!
This post is the part of the text that specifically describes the illustrations on Plates 21, 22, 23, and 24 which refer to honeybee hives, both traditional and observation hives.
I have translated and used the illustrations appropriate to the text, positioning the particular part of a larger illustration near the text it illustrates. The entire plate is also included. In the original book you would have been flipping back and forth all the time to see what the text was referring to.
I could not find a translation, (although that sounds implausible). I used Google Translate, common sense and an ancient memory of French class to make sense of the plate descriptions, so don't quote me unless accuracy is not important.
This post is the part of the text that specifically describes the illustrations on Plates 21, 22, 23, and 24 which refer to honeybee hives, both traditional and observation hives.
(Just the bits referring to honeybees.)
I have translated and used the illustrations appropriate to the text, positioning the particular part of a larger illustration near the text it illustrates. The entire plate is also included. In the original book you would have been flipping back and forth all the time to see what the text was referring to.
I could not find a translation, (although that sounds implausible). I used Google Translate, common sense and an ancient memory of French class to make sense of the plate descriptions, so don't quote me unless accuracy is not important.
EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES OF THE FIFTH VOLUME:
P L A N C H E X X I.
The first figure is that of a hive in a basket.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 also represent hangers in the form of a hive, but they are reversed, so that the interior of them may be seen in the arrangement of the rays or wax cakes which the bees have built there.
These hives were drawn on a larger scale than that of the hive of FIG. 1, in order to preserve to the cakes a scale which renders them more sensible.
On the outer surface of the last three hives there is no evidence of the crowns of the wooden strands of which they are made, as seen in fig. 1, because the strands of wood are hidden under a plaster, either of plaster, or of cow-dung mixed with earth, etc.
In Figure 2, all the cakes, three of which are marked g g, r r, g g, are parallel to one another; And it is the disposition which is most common to them.
Figure 3, shows a hive whose cakes from the first to the last cake are parallel to one another. The other cakes, of which three are marked, are not in the same manner as the preceding ones, and are not even parallels among them.
Figure 4 shows cakes still otherwise disposed than in previous hives. The cake c c and those following it, including the cake g g, are parallel to each other, but then there is a cake h p, which
(following from Page 276) one half of which is parallel to the preceding cakes, and the other half perpendicular to them.
The cakes i, i, i, & c. are also perpendicular to the former.
Figure 5 shows a group of bees, the top of which are attached to a stick, and of which the following are attached to each other by their legs. There are some groups of bees of considerable size.
P L A N C H E X X I I.
Figure 2 shows a bee-buck, a drone.
Figure 3 shows bees such as those of FIG. 1, arranged in daisy-chain fashion; each of these flies, except the first two, is hooked by the legs to the legs of the one preceding it.
Figure 4 shows, in its natural size, that a mother bee was one of the largest, and of the largest, I have seen, for there are smaller ones.
Figure 5 shows a hive made in square tower. In it are the holes which allow the bees to enter and exit, two of the wooden shutters which may open, and below each of which is a glass pane.
A wooden chassis resting on its upper part of the tower, and bearing the capital d.
The capital d d, is only placed on the chassis e, and the chassis e, is only placed on the hive. Thus, the parts d d, e e can be removed.
When removed, a lantern of glass is uncovered, the figure of which is similar to that formed by the parts ee, dd.
(below from Page 277)
Figure 6 shows a pyramidal & flattened hive,
On one of its broad sides, u, c, f, e, e, five flaps, above which are chassis, each of which is glazed with a glass pane.
f, one of the doors that is open, with honeybees seen through the glass pane.
g, wax cake.
b, button which can be removed from place, and which plugs a hole which is at the top of the hive.
a i k a, i l l k, l m n l, three parts placed one on top of the other can be separated from each other.
p, p, base of the Hive, which has slides which receive the lower edges of the parts of which part l m n l is composed.
It is clear, when one wants, this part of the base p p, is the place where the holes which serve as doors to bees are, and which did not appear in this view of the hive.
P L A N C H E X X I I I.
Figures 1 & 2 are those of a very small hive which I used to make several observations and several experiments on bees.
In Figure 1, the hive is visible, the tile of glass, which is raised here, it is easy to imagine that its edges are in the wings of the wooden posts, between which it is placed.
b b, base of the hive in the small hive of Figure 2, there are a few bees who have already made a cup of wax g, attached to the top of the hive.
The front tile is lowered.
In this way, this square is cut, and leaves an opening which allows the bees to go out and enter. This opening is closed, when desired, with a small plate of iron.
This same tile has no cut-out, and it has none in Figure 1, then a door is given to the bees as long as the front of the hive is broad, to the top of the slide intended to receive the lower edge of the tile;
When we wish to deprive the bees of the freedom to go out, all you have to do is remove the little stone, and lower the tile in the slide.
B b, base of the hive.
M n, one of the four uprights, which are assembled with cross pieces, two of which are marked m t, t d. The stick which is placed in the middle of the hive, is made of a stick
from a parrot cage, and gives an idea of the composition of those that can be placed in large hives for help to support the cakes full of honey.
On the background of the hive, is a fly, larger than the others, towards which several others have their heads turned, it is a mother.
Figure 3 is that of an (?), which I used to cover the previous hive, and on which it may be secured by means of cords c, c, c, & c. The top of this especially is tick, & it has a lining of a thick flannel. The lining appears in d.
FIG. 4, represents a large extremely flat hive. B b, on which the base of the hive is stopped by the screws u, u. In p, are the holes through which the flies can enter and exit. The top has a larger hole in its center, which serves when the flies are to be passed through a compact, and to various other experiments.
The glass panes of this hive are now uncovered, the wooden shutter has been removed, which hides them in ordinary times. R, r, turnstiles which serve to stop by the flap, the lower edge of this same flap, lodges in a slide c c.
Only a few wax cakes have been placed in this hive. T, t, t, wood rods, which use is to give support to the cakes.
FIG. 5, shows the shutter which serves to cover the glass panes of the preceding hive, and in fact to see the internal face, that is to say, that which is applied to the tiles.
This face of the shutter is covered with flannel; which has been done in the view of preserving the heat in the hive, which, being thin, is more exposed to the impressions of cold air than are the ordinary hives. The other side of this shutter is wood.
P L A N C H E X X IV.
Three different kinds of glazed hives are represented in this board.
Figures 1 and 2 are those of the same hive, which is pyramidal and flat, and which shows one of its great faces.
In FIG. 1, the glass tiles are hidden by the flap c, c, c, c, four turnstiles which serve to stop the flap, f, handle which gives the ease of pulling it from the place, and of putting it back.
In FIG. 2, the flap of FIG. 1 is removed; the glass panes then allow you to see the part of the hive which is filled with wax cakes g, g, on which are some flies.
In the lower part is the biggest, a, has flies at rest.
- p, p, base of the hive.
- t, holes through which flies can come out and enter.
FIG. 3 shows a pyramidal hive thicker than that of FIGS. 1 and 2, consisting of three parts a e, e f, ft, which can be separated from each other, and from the base p, p.
It has four flaps u, x, & y, y.
Such a beehive may be reduced, if it be desired, to the parts f, e only, & e, a, and then it is of a medium size. One can take only the part a, e, which alone forms a very small hive.
The cross, which appears through the glass pane when the shutter opens helps support the wax cakes. The parts a and f must each have their cross, and even a cross of more arms than the one shown.
FIG. 4 is that of the button b which terminates the hive in FIG. 3.
In b is the bolt which freely enters the hole which is pierced in the top of the hive.
In b is the bolt which freely enters the hole which is pierced in the top of the hive.
Figure 5 shows separately the upper part a e of the hive of Figure 3; but instead of the button, which rises above FIG. 3, a jar is placed on that of FIG. 5.
The bees are not long in entering such a compact by the superior opening of the hive which provides a convenient way of providing oneself with those needed for experiments.
Figure 6 shows a glazed hive, the upper part of which is composed of four equal boxes, which are of little height, placed one on top of the other.
c, d, e,f, g h, l,k, the four boxes which can be separated from one another.
a, the lid of the hive, which is readily removed from the place, and under which is a glass pane.
i, k, flap of the box
l k, which is open: then the glass pane allows us to see the cakes which are in the hive, and the flies which are on these cakes.
The flaps of the other boxes are closed, and can be opened as the flap i, k.
The face of each hive opposite to that in sight has a shutter like that which appears on it.
m m n, o o t, two parts of the beehive which are conical, and which serve as the basis for the assembly of the boxes.
p p, on which the hive is placed. Which, with a similar one on the other side, serves to contain the four boxes, and to fix them with the part m n.
m, m, o, o, four flaps.
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