THE BEE. 



abode from the time they issue from the egg until they attain 

 maturity, it follows that the capacity of the cells, or such of them as 

 are thus appropriated, must be subject to a corresponding difference. 

 The cells of the workers will therefore be less in magnitude than 

 those of the drones, and these last much less than the royal cells. 

 The comb therefore consists of different parts reticulated by 

 hexagons of different magnitudes, the smaller ones being the 

 mouths of the cells appropriated to the workers, and the larger 

 those of the cradles of the drones. As to the royal cells they differ 

 altogether from the others, not only in capacity, but also in position 

 and form. As already explained, the general forms of the cells 

 are hexagonal tubes, with pyramidal bases, and open mouths 

 ranged horizontally, their axes being at right angles to the flat 

 sides of the comb. The comb itself is placed vertically in the 

 hive, and the royal cells which are large and pear-shaped are 

 cemented to its lower edges, hanging from it vertically like stalac- 

 tites from the roof of a cavern. Although there be but one queen 

 in each hive, she produces, nevertheless, three or four or more, 

 and sometimes even as many as thirty or forty royal eggs. The 

 princesses which issue from these, are destined to be the queens of 

 the successive swarms which the hive sends forth. 



67. The cells which are appropriated exclusively to the storage 

 of honey and pollen, are similar in form and position to those 

 appropriated to the young drones and workers, but are greater in 

 length, and this length the bees vary according to the exigencies 

 of their store of provisions. If more of these result from their 

 labours than the cells constructed can contain, and there is not 

 time or space for the construction of more cells, they lengthen 

 the honey-cells already made by cementing a rim upon them. 

 They sometimes also use for storage, cells which have already been 

 occupied by young drones or workers, which, having attained their 

 state of maturity, have vacated them. 



68. Having thus explained in general the forms and structures 

 of the cells, we shall briefly explain the operation by which the 

 bees construct them, and by their combination form the combs. 



The material of the combs is wax, a substance secreted beneath 

 the ventral segments of the bodies of that class of the workers 

 which, from this circumstance, has received the name of wax- 

 makers. The apparatus by which the material which ultimately 

 acquires the character of wax is secreted, consists of /our pairs of 

 membranous bags, called wax-pockets, which are situated at the 

 base of each segment of the body, one on each side, and which 

 in the natural condition of the body, are concealed by the seg- 

 ments overlapping each other. They can, however, be rendered 

 visible by drawing out the body longitudinally, so that the part 

 34 



