196 DISEASES OF BEES. 



(like this county Herefordshire) abounds with 

 elms, without obtaining satisfactory information. 



Dysentery has also been said to be produced by 

 a surfeit of vernal honey, simply as such, from 

 whatever flowers derived : were this true it would 

 occur in all neighbourhoods. With respect to 

 its proceeding from their eating wax, I am de- 

 cidedly of opinion that wax never constitutes any 

 part of their food, under any circumstances ; not 

 a tittle of evidence can be adduced in support of 

 such an assertion. Wax is an excrementitious 

 matter, secreted among the abdominal folds of the 

 bees for the sole purpose of constructing the 

 honey and brood combs : the scraps of wax that 

 are observed in winter and spring upon the hive 

 floors, and which, to the minds of common obser- 

 vers, convey the idea that they are crumbs caused 

 by the bees consuming the wax for food, are pro- 

 duced by their nibbling the lids of the cells to 

 uncover the honey. If MADAME VICAT'S theory 

 were correct, what would become of all the bees 

 in Siberia and other northern regions ? Huish 

 says he never found honey in this country to 

 candy in the combs, but adds that Bonner assured 

 him that he had experienced it. Vide chapter on 

 Honey. 



KIRBY and SPENCE have given it as their 

 opinion, that dysentery arises from the bees 

 having an insufficiency of pollen or bee-bread to 



