PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 131 



wax of which they were formed to construct a new py- 

 ramidal tube, which they join at right angles to the 

 horizontal one, the diameter of the former diminish- 

 ing insensibly from its base to its mouth. During the 

 two days Avhich the grub inhabits this cell, like the 

 common royal cells now become vertical % a bee may 

 alw ays be observed with its head plunged into it ; and 

 w hen one quits it another takes its place. These bees 

 keep lengthening the cell as the w orm grows older, and 

 duly supply it with food, which they place before its 

 mouth and round its body. The animal, which can 

 only move in a spiral direction, keeps incessantly turn- 

 ing to take the jelly deposited before it ; and thus 

 slowly working downwards, arrives insensibly near the 

 orifice of the cell, just at the time that it is ready to as- 

 sume the pupa ; when, as before described, the workers 

 shut up its cradle with an appropriate covering *•. 



When you have read this account, I fear, with the 

 celebrated John Hunter, you will not be very ready 

 to believe it, at least you will call upon me to bring- 

 forth my " strong reasons" in support of it. What! — 

 you w ill exclaim — can a larger and warmer house (for 

 the royal cells are affirmed to enjoy a higher tempera- 

 ture than those of the other bees'=), a different and 

 more pungent kind of ^od, and a vertical instead of 

 a horizontal posture, in the first place, give a bee a 

 differently shaped tongue and mandibles ; render the 

 surface of its posterior tibize flat instead of concave; 

 deprive them of the fringe of hairs that forms the basket 



* Reaumur, who was however unacquainted with this extraordinary 

 fact, -has figured one of these cells, v. t. ?,% f. 3. h. 



" Compare Bonnet, x. 15G, with Hubcr, i. 134 — " Schiracb, 6'J. 

 K 2 



