THE BEE. 



labour of the nurses is directed to acoomplish this change. Their 

 first operation, therefore, is to mould on that side of the wall to 

 which its head is directed, a pyramidal cavity having the form of 

 the base of one of the intended cells. When it has laboured for 

 some minutes thus, it departs and is succeeded by another, who 

 continues the work, deepening the cavity and increasing its lateral 

 margins by heaping up the wax on either side by means of its 

 teeth and fore-feet, so as to give the sides a more regular form. 

 More than twenty nurses succeed each other in this operation. 



77. It must be remembered that during this process, nothing 

 has been done on the other side of the partition, but when the 

 cell just described has attained a certain length, other nurses 

 approach the opposite side of the partition and commence the 

 formation of the pyramidal base of two cells corresponding in 

 position with that just described, and these in like manner prose- 

 cute their labours, constantly relieving each other. 



78. While the nurses are thus employed in converting the rough 

 partition into the pyramidal bases of cells, and in forming the 

 hexagonal tubes corresponding to these pyramidal bases, the wax- 

 makers return and, resuming their labour, increase the magnitude 

 of the partition in evfery direction, the nurses meanwhile still 

 prosecuting their operations. 



After having worked the pyramidal bases of the cells of one 

 row into their proper forms, they polish them and give them a 

 high finish, while others are engaged in laying out the next 

 series. 



79. In fig. 33, is represented one of the faces of such a partition 



Fig. 33. Fig. 31. 



as is here described, after it has been formed into a continuous 

 system of pyramidal bases. These are intended to represent the 

 bases of the cells of the workers. A similar piece showing the 

 bases of the cells of the drones is represented in fig. 34. 



80. The cells themselves, consisting, as already explained, of 



