Ufa and Writings of ^7-ancis Muber. J 23 



second volume of the second edition of his work published in 1814j 

 which was edited in part by his son. 



The origin of the wax, was at that time, a point in the history of 

 bees much disputed by naturalists. By some it was asserted, though 

 without sufficient proof, that it was fabricated by the bee from the 

 honey. Huber, who had already happily cleared up the origin of 

 the propolis, confirmed this opinion with respect to the wax by nu- 

 merous observations, and shovv-ed very particularly', with the aid of 

 Burnens, how it escaped in a laminated form from between the rings 

 of the abdomen.* He instituted laborious researches to discover 

 how the bees prepare it for their edifices; he followed step by step 

 the whole construction of those wonderful hives, which seem, by 

 their perfection, to resolve the most delicate problem of geometry ; 

 he assigned to each class of bees, the part it takes in this construc- 

 tion, and traced their labors from the rudiments of the first cell to 

 the completed perfection of the comb. He made known the rava- 

 ges which the Sjohinx airopos produces in the hives into which it in- 

 sinuates itself ;f he even endeavored to unravel the history of the 

 senses of bees, and especially to examine the seat of the sense of 

 smell, the existence of which is proved by the whole history x)f these 

 insects, while the situation of the organ had never been determined 

 with any certainty. Finally, he prosecuted a curious research into 

 the respiration of bees. He proved by very many experiments that 

 bees consume oxygen gas like other animals. But how can the air 

 hecome renewed, and preserve its purity, in a hive plastered with ce- 

 ment, and closed on all sides except at the narrow orifice which 

 serves for a door ? This problem demanded all the sagacity of our 

 observer, and he at length ascertained that the bees, by a particular 

 movement of their wings, agitated the air in such a way as to effect 

 its renovation ; — and having assured himself of this by direct obser- 

 vation, he further proved its correctness by means of artificial ven- 

 tilation. 



These experiments on respiration required some analysis of the 

 air of hives, and this circumstance brought Huber into connection 

 with Sennebier, who was much engaged in analogous researches with 

 respect to vegetables. Among the means which Huber had con- 



* The works of Huber on this subject appeared in the Bib. Britannique, under 

 the title of Premiere memoire sur I'origine de la Cire, T. XXV, p. 59; but tb«y 

 have been resumed and extended in the second edition of his researches. 



t This part of his researches had already appeared in the Bibliotheque Britan- 

 nique, in 1804, t. XXVII, pp. 275 and 35S, under the title of letter to M. Pictet. 



