BEEJ4. II 



have been deprived of pollen for several weeks, and have yet 

 made combs, when fed only upon honey and water. In one 

 case, they actually built combs when fed upon sugar and 

 water only. The wax appears to be secreted principally 

 when the bee is at rest. If combs are wanted in a hurry, a 

 larg-e number of bees, after filling their honey-bags with 

 honey, cluster together at the top of the hive, and remain 

 there perfectly still for nearly twenty-four hours, by which 

 means the wax is rapidly formed. In many cases swarms 

 begin to build immediately after they have been settled in 

 their new residence, and in this case the elaboration of wax 

 proves that it must have been formed during the previous 

 state of inactivity. But he must have materials ; and as his 

 own stores are insufficient for such an undertaking, the obedient 

 and industrious explorers of the country bring it to him in 

 rapid and uninterrupted succession. Each mounts the ladder, 

 extracts with its hind feet a plate of wax from under one of 

 its eight scales (or pockets), where it was secreted, raises it 

 to the mouth, turns it round under the cutting edge of the 

 jaws (thus obtaining the eifect of a lathe), and so the 

 whole is divided into fragments. A frothy liquor is then 

 formed on it from the tongue, and the mixture assumes^ 

 the aspect of a plastic but tenacious substance, white and 

 opaque. The whole mass being then repeatedly worked 

 together by the teeth and tongue, is drawn out in the form 

 of a narrow ribbon of white wax. After being again mashed 

 together, and drawn out a second time in the opposite direc- 

 tion, it is then fit for building cells; and in that state is 

 handed to the bee-architect, who at once commences the con- 

 struction of the comb, while the labourer goes on with the- 

 preparation of the remainder of the scales, and then hurries 

 oif to collect fresh supplies. This labourer belongs to the 

 wax-workers' class. 



The architect commences his work : first, he constructs a 

 block in the centre of and upon the roof, of the shape here 

 shown (a segment of a circle), and which measures nearly 

 half an inch in length, about one-sixth of an inch in height, 

 and only a twenty-fourth part of an inch in thickness. 



All this while, another set of bee-artisans, the sculp- 

 tnrers, are waiting impatiently to begin. No sooner do 

 they see room enough to introduce their somewhat smaller 



