148 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 



played their usual activity; they dispersed 

 themselves throughout the hive, some feeding 

 the young, and others arranging every thing to 

 suit their convenience. The pieces of comb 

 had been roughly cut, and in some places bro- 

 ken. They beat down the old wax, kneaded it 

 with their mandibles, and used it for repairing 

 the damaged parts and binding the edges of the 

 comb. 



While all this was going on, the wax-workers, 

 instead of taking any part in the labor, remained 

 perfectly quiet ; and after continuing in this state 

 for about twenty-four hours, wax was formed 

 under their rings, and they were ready to com- 

 mence the building of a new comb. 



Again one of them was seen to select a suit- 

 able place for the foundation and to deposit its 

 scales of wax. Others followed, and a wall of 

 wax was soon raised, solid and irregular, but 

 without any appearance of cells. 



At this time one of the nurse bees separated 

 itself from the group which was attending upon 

 the young, and mounted the waxen wall. After 

 examining it carefully on every side, it scooped 

 out a portion of the wax and began to form a 



