June, 191 1. 



American Vee Jonrnal 



g. One may notice in this silhouette 

 how sharp are the angles of this pushed- 

 over wax. 

 The Figs. 4 and 5 are also sectional 



opaque than naturally-built combs, al- 

 lowed the detection, with the naked 

 eye, under a certain light of very fine 

 lines, streaking the ribs of the cells in 



Fig. 4.— Lump on the edge of the cell— sec- 

 ond stage— longitudinal section en- 

 larged 35 diameters. 



photographs of the cells at different 

 degrees of lengthening. In Fig. 4 the 

 reserve of material loses its sharp an- 

 gles, while in the last the amount of 

 wax diminishing gradually gives the 

 cut the appearance of a maul. 



Although these micrographic views 

 have been taken on cells of different 

 lengths, one may notice that, notwith- 

 standing the enlargement, the thickness 

 of their walls remains very similar, 

 which would not take place if the cell 

 was constantly increased in diameter. 



Fig. 6 reproduces the intersection of 

 cells taken in their thin portion, a 

 transverse section at the height indi- 

 cated at AB in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 gives us 

 a similar intersection, but taken, in this 

 case, through the center of the lump 

 CD in the same Fig. 4. From these last 

 two photographs we may ascertain the 

 huge amount of wax constantly dis- 

 placed by the bee in the building of the 

 cell from foundation. 



Until now we have but examined in 

 a general way the different phases of 

 the construction of the cell. We have 

 seen the wax gradually brought by suc- 

 c^'ssive displacement, until the comb is 

 constituted, but this comb has not vet 



Fig. 5.— Intersection of three cells— section 



through the thin part on the line 



A B. Fig. 4. 



Fig. 5.— Third stage. 



a direction perpendicular to their axis 

 We at first thought that these lines 

 were caused by molecules of dye sus- 

 pended within the wax, and that the 

 coloring matter had settled, at the tiijie 

 of the making the sheets, in a direction 

 parallel to the midrib of the sheet. 

 However, our curiosity was awakened, 

 and the side of one cell was placed un- 

 der the microscope and normally light- 

 ened by transparency. The coloring 

 molecules, neatly visible, were scattered 

 here and there, but the diffusion of 

 color had been produced concentrically 

 around each of these molecules, thus 

 forming a hazy spot. It was evident 

 that the lines noticed had not been pro- 

 duced by the coloring substance. 



Oblique lighting was substituted to 

 direct light while we turned the prep- 

 aration in the opposite direction. We 

 then saw small furrows which stood 

 out plainly when the side of the cell 

 was parallel to the ray of light. We 

 had under our eyes the micrograph 

 given in Fig. 8, which reproduced an 

 endless scale of green colors. The 

 lines mentioned are plainly visible. 

 These are the traces left by the work- 

 ers, and prove that the cells are worked 



Fig. 7.— Intersection of three cells— section 



through the middle of the lump on 



the line C D. Fig. 4. 



wax under the effort of their mandibles- 

 The cell is not drawn, as is generally 

 supposed, for draniiif,' would mean an 

 operation in the direction of the length 

 of the cell. It is exactly in the other 

 direction that we see the imprint of 

 the bee's work. And then would not 

 this process disintegrate the molecules 

 of wax? It would pull them apart, 

 while beeswax needs all its cohesive- 

 ness — all its resisting power. To our 

 mind the method employed by the bee 

 comes nearer to the work of the potter, 

 who, from the mass of earth piled upon 

 his wheel, will bring into shape an ele- 

 gant vase. We see the wax displaced 

 under a progressive lateral pressure in 

 every way similar to that employed in 

 the rough modeling of clay and of wax. 

 Besides, the mandibles of the bee have 

 a shape similar to that of the human 

 thumb, which is often preferred to 

 tools by the workman, in order to give 

 the desired contour to the plastic ma- 

 terial. 



This explanation of the working-up 

 of the foundation sheet seems the more 

 plausible because it rests upon an ob- 

 servation of documentary value, and 

 because it agrees entirely with the veri- 

 fications which we have been able to 



given us the entire secret, since we in a direction parallel to their base, 



have not yet noted the impress of the and not perpendicular to it. 



bee upon her work. The construe- The building of the cell is, therefore 



tions built of green wax, much more not due to the lengthening out of the 



Fig. 8.— Part of wall of a cell showing the 



lines left by the work of the bees. 



Those lines are at right angles 



with the cell-wall indicated 



by the arrow— enlarged 



45 diameters. 



make previously while examining the 

 section of the comb. Have we not 

 seen the wax pressed out progressivly 

 from the center of the base towards the 

 edges? The latter is thinned out in 

 identical manner; then, under the con- 

 tinued pushing forward of the material 

 sliding upon itself, the lumps have 

 shown themselves presenting a clear, 

 triangular cut upon the edge of the 

 partly-built cell. Does not all this in- 

 dicate that the erection of the cell upon 

 foundation is simply a labor of rr/oits- 



While we have just noticed that the 

 drau'ing--oi// of the wax could only pull 

 it apart and render it unfit for building, 

 on the contrary, here we see the wall 

 of the cell become /iam»ie>--/iarde>ieci 

 under the action of this repoussage be- 

 come compressed, and acquire, by this 

 method, the maximum of resistance 

 which it is capable of furnishing. 

 There, as elsewhere, the honey-bee has 

 selected the best process. — Translated 

 bv C. P. Dadant, from L'Apiculteur for 

 March, 1911. 



