Social Insects. 



13 



terior legs. With these pincers the Avax producer plucks a scale 

 from one of its wax plates, passes it rapidly forward to the 

 mouth, and here makes it plastic and at the same time more or 

 less yellow, by continually manipulating and chewing it between 

 the mandibles. Then the bee sticks it to the under surface of 

 the hive cover or object to which the comb is to be attached. 

 More wax is added, forming a slight ridge, which is chiseled 

 or pressed from each side by workers, using their firm and highly 

 polished maxillae, and placing themselves so that their range of 

 work will overlap just one-half. As this ridge is built down, 

 forming a sheet — the septum upon which the cells are con- 

 structed — the sides of the latter are started simultaneously. In 

 their efforts to make the cells concave at the bottom and so as to 

 tit together at the sides without loss of material, mutual pressure 

 results in straight lines, the sides becoming hexagonal in outline, 

 just as six soap-bubbles resting against a seventh cause the latter 

 to assume a hexagonal form ; while the bee starting a cell on the 

 bottom of one already commenced on the other side, naturally 

 takes the apex of the latter as a part of the boundary of its own 

 cell in order that the latter may also be concave. Thus three 

 rhomboitlal faces forming the base of one cell, form individually 

 a part of each one of three cells on the ojoposite side. 



Fig. I. — Modifications of the hind legs of different bees : A, Apis : a, wax 

 cutter and outer view of leg ; b, inuer aspect of wax cutter and leg ; c, compound hairs; 

 d, anterior leg, showing anteunal scraper. B, Melipona : f, peculiar group of spines at 

 apex of tibia ; g, inner aspect of wax cutters and first joint of tarsus. C, Bombiis : h, 

 wax cutter ; i, inner view of same and first joint of tarsus — all enlarged. (Original.) 



Finally I would call your attention to the arrangement of 

 the hairs on the inside and outside of the legs (Fig. 1, A), 



