96 ARE HUMBLE-BEE vl 
sheet of glass is placed over the uppermost section, 
and through this the bees can be seen at work. 
The domiciles are connected by flexible tubes 
made of spiral tinned-steel wire to holes bored 
through the bottom plates of the house. These 
holes are made as far from one another as possible, 
so that the workers of each nest do not mistake 

Vestibule Starting Box 
Fic. 20.—The Sections or Storeys shown separately. 
their neighbours’ entrances for their own—two holes 
being bored in each end and two in each side of 
the house. I found the workers were inclined to 
slip as they ascended the tubes, and in order to 
provide them with a good foothold, I intend next 
year to coat the tubes with varnish, and to pass 
sand through them while the varnish is wet. 
The chief point requiring attention in an indoor 
nest of humble-bees is the keeping of it clean and 
sweet; but I find that this can be managed by 
