BOMBUS, THE HUMBLE-BEE 79 



pollen cells nearer to the brood than the honey 

 cells. 



The comb, irregular and rough compared with 

 the frigid rigidity of the honey-comb, consists 

 of a basal layer of vacated cocoons, now used 

 as store cupboards. On these rest the irregular 

 wax cells containing larvae, intermingled with 

 cocoons containing pupae, and traversed with 

 lanes for the bees to move along " on their several 

 occasions." On the cocoons, again, a cluster 

 of small wax cells shelters the recently laid eggs. 

 All is dark within ; not only is the interior of 

 the nest like night, but the entire brood is con- 

 cealed under waxen canopies or papery cocoon 

 cases. In large colonies of B. lapidarius the whole 

 comb may be covered by a waxen dome, but 

 always room is left for the bees to circulate, and 

 in this they must be guided by a sense of touch 

 or smell, for all is black within the nest. Their 

 sense of scent is indeed acute ; they recognise 

 the smell of their own and other species, and also 

 other animals they may come across. Human 

 breath excites their active antagonism, they dis- 

 tinguish plants much more by scent than by 

 sight and they almost equal the honey-bee in 

 discovering nectar or honey. Owing to the greater 



