ffOir WAX IS MADE. Ill 



to you, but in order to understand a little of the 

 process you must first look at the under side of the 

 abdomen of a bee, and there, if the bee is occupied in 

 comb-building, you will see some very small flakes or 

 scales of wax sticking to it in several places, which 

 places are often called ' wax-pockets.' These little 

 flakes of wax are produced from the honey in the 

 honey-bag, which undergoes a certain course of 

 preparation within the bee, and then is secreted, and 

 appears, not as' honey, but as wax. Generally speak- 

 ing, these little bits of wax can only be produced 

 when the bees are in a great heat; and thus, when 

 they require to make wax, they first of all have their 

 honey-bags full, and then have a way of hanging 

 together in what looks like a solid cluster, but which 

 really consists, so to speak, of a great many ropes of 

 bees clinging to one another. In this curious posi- 

 tion they remain perfectly quiet, and great heat is 

 produced. 



Then, after a time, the little wax -scales make 

 their appearance, and these, when duly formed, the 

 bee carries away to the place where it is wanted, and 

 where other bees fashion it into the required shape. 

 It is not, however, quite fit for use as it comes from 

 the wax-pockets, and, before using it, the bees mix it 

 with a kind of saliva, and knead it up with their 

 jaws. 



It thus takes a great deal of time and trouble, 

 and a great many bees, to make a little wax ; so 

 much so that it is a fact that the bees consume as 

 much as twenty pounds of honey to make one pound 

 of wax, so that it is in every way a very expensive 



