No. 129.] 369 



the uppermost, and form themselves into a cluster, the exterior 

 layer of which looks like a kind of curtain. Tliis cluster con- 

 sists of a series of festoons, or garlands, which cross each other in 

 all directions, and in which most of the bees turn their backs 

 upon the observer. The curtain has no other motion than what 

 it receives from the intt rior layers, the fluctuations of which are 

 communicated to it. All this time the nurse bees preserve their 

 wonted activity, and pursue their usual employments. The wax 

 makers remain immovable for about twenty-four hours, during 

 which period the formation of was takes place, and thin 

 laminse (plates) of this material may bo generally perceived 

 under the abdomen. One of these bees is now seen to detach 

 itself from one of the central garlands of the cluster, to make a 

 way amongst its companions to the middle of the vault or top of 

 the hive, and, by turning itself round, to form a kind of void in 

 which it can move itself /reely. It then suspends itself to the 

 centre of the space which it has cleared, the diameter of which is 

 about an inch. It next seizes one of the laminss of wax with a 

 pincer formed by the posterior metatarsus (instep) and tibia, and 

 drawing it from beneath the abdominal segment, one of the ante- 

 rior legs takes it with the claws and carries it to the mouth. 



" The wax has, perhaps, the nearest analogy to the sebaceous 

 (fatty) secretion of the integument than to any other animal 

 secretion. It is formed beneath the scales on the under side of 

 the aMomen, and when accumulated there seems to irritate the 

 part, for the bee may then be observed wagging her abdomen 

 and running round to and fro, as if endeavoring to shake out the 

 little scales; and she is generally followed by one or two other 

 bees, which have been attracted by her movements, and are 

 ready to seize upon the plates of wax as they fall. How they 

 mould the scales into the walls of their cells is not yet exactly 

 understood. Some have supposed that they bite pieces off and 

 join them together, but the smooth and uniform surface of the 

 cell shows that other operations must take place ; besides, the 

 wall of the cell is sometimes thicker than a scale of wax. We 

 must, therefore, suppose that the bees have the power of apply- 

 ing some dissolving or softening menstruum to the wax scales, by 

 which they are enabled to knead and blend them into a doctile 

 paste: 



[Assembly, No. 129.] 24 



