236 OS THE PHYSICAL POWER OF INSECTS; 



into a hive, which the Bees are quite unable to remove, its decay and corruption 

 might prove a source of much injury to the hive. To prevent this it is carefully 

 shrouded with a thick coat of wax, on which the sculptors form their accustomed 

 foundations for a hexagonal cell ; the end sought for calls for no such display of 

 geometrical skill ; but that this should lessen our admiration of the wonderful 

 instinct implanted in these tiny creatures, to guide them on the most correct 

 principles through the great bulk of their works, can only proceed from taking a 

 very narrow view of their economy. 



In observing Bees through glass windows in their hives, I have had many 

 opportunities of confirming the truth of M. Huber's observations, as to their 

 secretion of wax, mode of working their cells, &c &c. As an instance of their 

 combined exertions, I may mention that I have seen a hive weigh 31bs. more after a 

 single very fine summer day's labour. Of this weight each of the out-door workers 

 will have to contribute at least one grain, a quantity, it will be evident, that a 

 Bee can have no difficulty in gathering from the choicest flowers in the course of 

 a long day's sunshine. The average of their day's labour, however, must be 

 taken very much lower than the weight above mentioned, and in an unfavourable 

 wet month of summer they will sometimes be even found to lose weight. 



Connected with the economy of Bees, though not relating to their architecture; 

 is the curious noise of one of the queen Bees for two or three evenings previous 

 to the swarm coming off; the sound is sufficiently loud to be easily heard 

 through the sides of the hive, on a still evening, to a person close behind, listen- 

 ing attentively. As the sounds made by Bees and other insects have been ex- 

 plained (see Vol. II., p. 45) as proceeding from different parts than those of 

 voice, as in the higher animals, viz. by the wings or other organs beating or 

 fretting on some vibratory substance, I can only explain this singular sound by 

 referring it to the convulsive effort made by the young queen with its- wings 

 while detained a captive in its cell for two or three days after it has attained 

 maturity. 



There are many other Bees remarkable for the architecture of their habitations ; 

 those of the Solitary Bee are next in instinct to the Hive Bee, but as none of 

 them display the same beauty in their combs, I have preferred to confine myself 

 entirely to the latter. The social Wasp ( Vespa vulgaris) is an architect scarcely 

 less worthy of the naturalist's attention than the Hive Bee. The regularity in 

 the depth of the cells gives to the interior of the nest a uniformity that is wanting 

 in the Bee. The cells of the Wasp are hexagonal, but as the greatest possible 

 capacity with the least possible expenditure of materials is not so requisite for 

 the habits of an insect which only uses the cells for breeding, and which has not 

 to secrete the matter of which they are formed, the Wasp has been taught to 

 work its cells with flat bottoms, which are placed uppermost. 



