49Q HAIilTATlONS OF INSECTS. 



t|uence of particular circumstances which alter the basi? 

 of their labour. The original mass of wax is never aug- 

 mented but by an uniform quantity; and what is most 

 astonishing-, this augmentation is made by the wax- 

 makers, who are the depositaries of the primary matter, 

 and possess not the art of sculpturing the cells. 



The bees never begin two masses for combs at the 

 same time ; but scarcely are some rows of cells con- 

 structed in the first, when two other masses, one on each 

 side of it, are established at equal distances from it and 

 parallel to it, and then again two more exterior to these. 

 The combs are always enlarged and lengthened in a 

 progression proportioned to the priority of their origin ; 

 the middle comb being constantly advanced beyond the 

 two adjoining ones by some rows of cells, and they be- 

 yond those that are exterior to them. Was it permit- 

 ted to these insects to lay the foundation of all their 

 combs at the same time, they could not be placed con- 

 veniently nor parallel to each other. So with respect 

 to the cells, the first cavity determines the place of all 

 that succeed it. 



A large number of bees work at the same time on the 

 same comb ; but they are not moved to it by a simul- 

 taneous but by a successive impulse. A single bee be- 

 gins every partial operation, and many others in suc- 

 cession add their efforts to hers, each appearing to act 

 individually in a direction impressed either by the 

 workers who have preceded it, or by the condition in 

 which it finds the work. The whole population of wax- 

 makers is in a state of the most complete inaction till 

 one bee goes forth to lay the foundations of the first 

 comb. Immediately others second her intentionsj add- 



