424 INSECTS. 



" So far we have set the colony in motion. The materials of 

 their dwelling, or comb, which is the wax, is the next considera. 

 tion, with the mode of forming, preparing, or disposing of it. In 

 giving a totally new account of the wax, I shall first shew it can 

 hardly be what it has been supposed to be. First, I shall observe 

 that the materials, as they are found composing the comb, are not 

 to be found in the same state (as a composition) in any vegetable, 

 where they have been supposed to be got. The substance brought 

 in on their legs, which is the farina of the flowers of plants, is, in 

 common, I believe, imagined to be the materials of which the wax 

 is made, for it is called by most the wax : but it is the farina, for 

 it is always of the same colour as the farina of the flower where they 

 are gathering ; and indeed we see them gathering it, and we also 

 see them covered almost all over with it, like a dust ; nevertheless, 

 it has been supposed to be the wax, or that the wax was extracted 

 from it. Reaumur is of this opinion. I made several experiments, 

 to see if there was such a quantity of oil in it, as would account 

 for the quantity of wax to be formed, and to learn if it was com- 

 posed of oil. I held it near the candle ; it burnt, but did not smell 

 like wax ; and had the same smell, when burning, as farina when it 

 was burnt. I observed that this substance was of different colours 

 on different bees, but always of the same colour on both legs of 

 the same bee ; whereas new made comb was all of one colour. I 

 observed, that it was gathered with more avidity for old hives, 

 where the comb is complete, than for those hives where it is only 

 begun, which we could hardly conceive if it was the materials of 

 wax : also we may observe, that at the very beginning of a hive, 

 the bees seldom bring in any substance on their legs for two or 

 three days, and after that the farina gatherers begin to increase ; 

 for now some cells are formed to hold it as a store, and some eggs 

 are laid, which when hatched will require this substance as food, 

 and which will be ready when the weather is wet. I have also ob- 

 served, that when the weather has either been so cold, or so wet, 

 in June, as to hinder a young swarm from going abroad, they have 

 yet in that time formed as much new comb, as they did in the same 

 time when the weather was such as allowed them to go abroad. I 

 have spen them bring it in about the latter end of March, and have 

 observed, in glass hives, the bees with the farina on their legs, and 

 have seen them disposing of it, as will be described hereafter. 



