The Life of the Bee 



[101] 



This great progress, not the less actual 

 for being hereditary and ancient, was fol- 

 lowed by an infinite variety of details 

 which prove that the industry, and even 

 the policy, of the hive have not crystal- 

 lised into infrangible formulae. We have 

 already mentioned the intelligent substi- 

 tution of flour for pollen, and of an arti- 

 ficial cement for propolis. We have seen 

 with what skill the bees are able to adapt 

 to their needs the occasionally discon- 

 certing dwellings into which they are in- 

 troduced, and the surprising adroitness 

 wherewith they turn combs of foundation- 

 wax to good account. They display ex- 

 traordinary ingenuity in their manner of 

 handling these marvellous combs, which 

 are so strangely useful, and yet incomplete. 

 In point of fact, they meet man half-way. 

 Let us imagine that we had for centuries: 

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