THE HONEY-BEE. 101 



sirous of avoiding some interposing substance having 

 a smooth or glassy surface, these are results which 

 seem to manifest something more than simple in- 

 stinct ; they afford a wonderful proof of the resources 

 of this faculty, when compelled to deviate from the 

 ordinary course ; they imply, in fact, the possession 

 of a certain degree of intellect, or of reasoning power, 

 by which their instinct is modified and counteracted. 

 We cannot, indeed, but be filled with astonishment, 

 when we see their ingenious expedients in getting 

 the better of difficulties, which would not have occur- 

 red in their natural state, and with admiration of 

 the wisdom and goodness of the Almighty Parent, 

 so conspicuously visible, even in the unconscious in- 

 stinctive operations of these tiny creatures of his 

 hand. 



The material of which the bees construct those 

 beautiful combs, which deserve so much admiration, 

 is Wax the nature and production of which will be 

 considered in a subsequent chapter. No sooner has 

 a swarm been safely lodged in a hive, than the in- 

 dustrious labourers commence the operation of build- 

 ing. One portion of the population employs itself ia 

 cleaning out their new abode, whilst a large number 

 hastens to the fields, some of them to collect honey, 

 the saccharine part of which is the source of the wax 

 used in the construction of the combs, and others 

 to gather propolis, which is a tenacious substance 

 employed in fixing the less adhesive wax to the roof 

 of the hive, and in stopping up any crevices that 

 might give entrance to vermin, or admit the cold. 



