182 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



against bad weather or a bad season : these are covered 

 with a waxen lid ^. 



The pollen is employed as circumstances direct. When 

 the bee laden with it arrives at the hive, she sometimes 

 stops at the entrance, and very leisurely detaching it by 

 piecemeal, devours one or both the pellets on her legs, 

 chewing them with her jaws, and passing them then 

 down the little orifice before noticed. Sometimes she 

 enters the hive, and walks upon the combs; and whether 

 she walks or stands, still keeps beating her wings. By 

 the noise thus produced, which seems a call to some of 

 her fellow-citizens, three or four go to her, and placing 

 themselves around her, begin to lighten her of her load, 

 each taking and devouring a small portion of her am- 

 brosia : this they repeat, if more do not arrive to assist 

 them, three or four times, till the whole is disposed of ^. 

 Wildman observed them on this occasion supporting 

 themselves upon their two fore feet; and making several 

 motions with their wings and body to the right and left, 

 which produced the sound that summoned their assist- 

 ants'^. This bee-bread, as I said before, is generally 

 found in the second stomach and intestines, but the ho- 

 ney never; which induced Reaumur to think (but he 

 was mistaken) that the bees elaborated wax from it: 

 and he observes, that the bees devour this when they 

 are busily engaged in constructing combs*'. When 

 more pollen is collected than the bees have immediate 

 occasion for, they store it up in some of the empty cells. 

 The laden bee puts her two hind legs into the cell, and 



' Reaum. v. 448. •> Ibid, v. 418— 



' p. ;W. <i uhi supr. 419. 



