THE BEE. 281

height of the Monument, and four or five times that of the
Pyramids, which we consider so marvellous a work. The
interior is crowded with apartments, galleries, and maga-
zines, a royal chamber for the queen, nurseries for the
young, and food magazines. Many interesting perticulars
might be given of these little architects, whose history and
economy resemble, in many respects, those of the bee and
ant; but as they are not, properly speaking, ants at all
(though erroneously so called), belonging even to a distinct
order (Nesroptera), it is very uncertain whether they were
alluded to in the text, more particularly as they are mach
more common in Africa than Asia, and might be unknown
to the Royal Psalmist.

Some species of ant is even now very abundant in Pales-
tine, for the traveller, Ali Bey, describes the road to Jaffa,
from El Arisch, as, for three days’ journey, one continued
ant-hill.

Apis.—The Bee. Se

The species of this interesting and useful insect, referred
to in the Bible, is probably the Apis fasciata of Latreille,
as that is the common bee of Egypt and Asia Minor; but
the habits of the genus are so similar, that a description of
the moet striking peculiarities in the Apis mellifiea, or com-