Hive-Bees. 143 



recalled our former observations. Gorged with the honey 

 we had put within their reach, and continuing in this 

 condition during twenty-four hours, wax was formed under 

 their rings, and was now ready to be put in operation. To 

 our great satisfaction, we soon saw a little foundation-wall 

 rising on one of the slips that we had prepared to receive the 

 superstructure. No obstacle was offered to the progress of 

 our observations ; and for the second time we beheld both 

 the undertaking of the founder-bee, and the successive labours 

 of several wax-workers, in forming the foundation-wall. 

 Would that my readers could share the interest which the 

 view of these architects inspired ! 



" This foundation, originally very small, was enlarged as 

 the work required ; while they excavated on one side a 

 hollow, of about the width of a common cell, and on the 

 opposite surface two others somewhat more elongated. The 

 middle of the single cell corresponded exactly to the partition 



%H 



Foundation-wall enlarged, and the Cells commenced. 



separating the latter : the arches of these excavations, pro- 

 jecting by the accumulation of wax, were converted into 

 ridges in a straight line ; whence the cells of the first row 

 were composed of five sides, considering the slip as one side, 

 and those of the second row, of six sides. 



" The interior conformation of the cavities, apparently, 

 was derived from the position of their respective outlines. 

 It seemed that the bees, endowed with an admirable delicacy 

 of feeling, directed their teeth principally to the place where 

 the wax was thickest ; that is, the parts where other workers 

 on the opposite side had accumulated it ; and this explains why 

 the bottom of the cell is excavated in an angular direction 

 behind the projection on the sides of which the sides of the 

 corresponding cells are to rise. The largest of the excava- 



