492 HABITATIONS OF INSECTS. 



minae of wax with a pincer formed by the posterior me- 

 tatarsus and tibia % and drawing it from beneath the 

 abdominal segment, one of the anterior legs takes it 

 with its claws and carries it to the mouth. This leg 

 holds the lamina with its claAvs vertically, the tongue 

 rolled up serving for a support, and by elevating or 

 depressing it at will, causes the whole of its circumfe- 

 rence to be exposed to the action of the mandibles, so 

 that the margin is soon gnawed into pieces, which drop 

 as they are detached into the double cavity, bordered 

 with hairs, of the mandibles. These fragments, pressed 

 by others newly separated, fall on one side of the 

 mouth, and issue from it in the form of a very narrow 

 ribband. They are then presented to the tongue, 

 which impregnates them with a frothy liquor like a 

 houillie. During this operation the tongue assumes all 

 sorts of forms ; sometimes it is flattened like a spatu- 

 la ; then like a trowel, which applies itself to the rib- 

 band of wax ; at other times it resembles a pencil ter- 

 minating in a point. After having moistened the whole 

 of the ribband, the tongue pushes it so as to make it 

 re-enter the mandibles, but in an opposite direction, 

 Avliere it is worked up anew. The liquor mixed with 

 the wax communicates to it a whiteness and opacity 

 which it had not before ; and the object of this mixture 

 of houillie^ which did not escape the observation of 

 Reaumur'', is doubtless to give it that ductility and 

 tenacity which it possesses in its perfect state. 



The foundress-bee, a name which this first beginner 

 of a comb deserves, next applies these prepared par- 



' Vide Mon. Jp. Ang. t. 12. ** e, 1. neut. fig. !!). 

 '' ilcaum. V. 42 1. 



