HIVE BEES THEIR DISCIPLINE AND HARMONY. 207 



Another remarkable point in bee architecture is the 

 mode in which the edges of the cells are strengthened. 

 The sides of the cells are so exceedingly fragile that even 

 the touch of a passing bee might break their edges if 

 they were not protected with some material harder than 

 wax. Such a material is the "propolis," an adhesive 

 vegetable secretion obtained from various sources, the 

 bud of the chestnut being the chief favourite. By 

 masticating this propolis with wax, the bee forms a 

 tolerably hard cement, with which it guards the edges of 

 the cells, fills up all needless crevices, fastens the edges 

 of the hive to the footboard, and employs for various 

 similar purposes. 



Considering the wonderful care which the bees bestow 

 on the ordinary cells, we might naturally imagine that 

 the cells in which the queen bees are bred would be 

 formed with more than double care. But, when we 

 look into the hive, we see that the cells of the hive 

 queen are even more rude and shapeless than those of 

 the Humble Bees. 



Drone cells, which are easily distinguished by their 

 superior size, are as scrupulously hexagonal in shape as 

 the ordinary cells. But any lump of wax seems good 

 enough for a queen's cell, provided that it be large 

 enough. These cells are stuck anywhere on the edges 

 of the combs, and in making them the bees seem abso- 

 lutely regardless of space and material. Several of these 

 rude cells can generally be found in a hive, their usual 

 shape being pear-like, and their exterior covered with 



