The Life and Writings of Francis Huher. 289 



the facts, but from their rigorous exactness, and the singular 

 difficulty against which the author had to struggle with so much 

 abihty. Most of the academies of Europe (and especially the 

 Academy of Sciences of Paris) admitted Huber, from time to 

 time, among their associates. The poet Delille * celebrated his 

 blindness and his discoveries; and from this time he was placed 

 in the first rank among the most skilful, I was going to say the 

 most clear-sighted, observers. 



The activity of his researches was relaxed neither by this 

 early research, which might have satisfied his self-love, nor by 

 the embarrassments which he suffered in consequence of the 

 Revolution, nor even by a separation from his faithful Burnens. 

 Another assistant of course became necessary. His first substi- 

 tute was his wife, — then his son, Pierre Huber, who began from 

 that time to acquire a just celebrity in the history of the eco- 

 nomy of ants, and various other insects, commenced his appren- 

 ticeship as an observer, in assisting his father. It was princi- 

 pally by his assistance that he made new and laborious researches 

 relative to his favourite insects. They form the second volume 

 of the second edition of his work published in 1814, which was 

 edited in part by his son. 



The origin of the wax was at that time a point in the history 

 of bees much disputed by naturalists. By some it was asserted, 

 though without sufficient proof, that it was fabricated by the 

 bee from the honey. Huber, who had already happily cleared 

 up the origin of the propolis, confirmed this opinion, with re- 

 spect to the wax, by numerous observations ; and showed very 

 particularly, with the aid of Burnens, how it escaped in a 

 laminated form from between the rings of the abdomen -f-. 

 He instituted laborious researches to discover how the bees 

 prepare it for their edifices ; he followed step by step the whole 



• See the seventh chant in the poem Des Tros Regnes, which begins with 

 " Enfin de leur hymen savant depositaire 

 L'aveugle Huber I'a vu par les regards d'autrui, 

 Et sur ce grand probleme un nouveau jour a lui,'* &c. 

 + Tlie work of Huber on this subject appeared in the Bibliotheque Bri- 

 tannique, under the title of " Premiere Memoire sur I'Origine de la Cire,** 

 t. XXV. p. 59 ; but they have been resumed and extended in the second edi- 

 tion of his Researches. 



VOL. XIV. KO. XXVIII. APRIL 1833. T 



