152 Secretion of Wax. 
that the bees, even the most aged, while gathering in the 
honey season, yield up the wax-scales the same as those 
within the hive. During the active storing of the past 
season, especially when comb-building was in rapid pro- 
gress, I found that nearly every bee taken from the 
flowers contained the wax-scales of varying sizes in the 
wax-pockets. By the activity of the bees, these are not 
infrequently loosened from their position and fall to the 
bottom of the hive. This explains why wax is often men- 
tioned as an element of honey. Its presence, however, in 
honey is wholly accidental. It is probable that wax secre- 
tion is not forced upon the bees, but only takes place as 
required. So the bees, unless wax is demanded, may per- 
form other duties. When we fill the sections and brood- 
chamber wholly with foundation, it is often difficult to find 
any bees bearing wax-scales. In such cases I have often 
looked long, but in vain, to find such scales zz situ to 
show to my students. Whether this secretion is a matter 
of the bee’s will, or whether it is excited by the surround- 
ing conditions without any thought, are questions yet to be 
settled. 
These wax-scales are loosened by the wax-jaws of the 
posterior legs, as stated by Girard, carried to their anterior 
claws which in turn bear them to the mouth, where they 
are mixed with saliva probably from Wolff’s slands (Fig. 
After the proper kneading by the jaws, these wax-scales 
are fashioned into that wonderful and exquisite structure, 
the comb. In this transformation to comb, the wax may 
become colored. Dr. Planta has shown that this is due to 
a slight admixture of pollen. It is almost sure to do this 
if the new comb is formed adjacent to old, dark colored 
comb. In such cases chippings from the old soiled comb 
are used. 
Honey-comb is wonderfully delicate, the base of a new 
cell being only about 1-80th of an inch in thickness. The 
wall is even much thinner, sometimes hardly more than 
one-half as thick. The cells are so formed as to combine 
the greatest strength and maximum capacity with the 
least expense of material. It need hardly be said that 
