MEXICAN BEES. 361 



very extremity. It is therefore probable that at the extremity 

 the work of buikliiii^ commenced. 



Surrounding the combs are several layers of wax, as thin 

 as paper, irregular in their form, and placed at some little dis- 

 tance from each other, the instertices varying from a quarter 

 to half an inch. One of these supports a vertical comb ; the 

 others are connected to the combs only at their edges, or by 

 processes or layers of wax. Externally to these are placed 

 the sacs for containing honey, which are generally large, and 

 rounded in form. They vary in size, some of them exceed- 

 ing an inch and a half in diameter. They are suppoi'ted by 

 processes of wax from the wood of the cavity, or from each 

 other, and are frequently applied side by side, so as mutually 

 to afford strength to each other, and to allow of one side 

 serving equally for two sacs. Their disposition is altogether 

 irregular, and bears some resemblance to that of a portion of 

 a bunch of grapes, rendering it probable that Nieremberg was 

 acquainted with a similar nest, if not actually that of the 

 same bee, although he denies to the one described by him the 

 power of constructing combs. Some of the honey-sacs are 

 placed apai-t from the others, forming a distinct cluster of the 

 same general appearance as those immediately adjoining the 

 comb. 



From this singular position of the honey-sacs a most im- 

 portant advantage is obtained by the cultivators of the Mexi- 

 can hive bee. To possess themselves of its honey it is unne- 

 cessary to have recourse to the means adopted in Europe for 

 stupefying, or even destroying, the ^^inhabitants of the hive. 

 All that is necessary is, to remove the plug from the end of 

 the cavity employed as a hive, to introduce the hand, and 

 withdraw the honey-sacs. The store of the laborious bee is 

 thus transferred to the proprietor of the hive without injuring, 

 and almost without disturbing its inhabitants. The end of the 

 hive is then again stopped up ; and the bees hasten to lay up 

 a fresh store of honey in lieu of that of which they have been 

 despoiled, again to be robbed of their precious deposit. A 

 hive treated in this way affords, during the summer, at least 

 two hai'vests. 



2 B 2 



