A ROMANCE OF ANATOMY 161 
ward, or from side to side, she changes her centre 
of gravity, and the line of force of her aéroplanes, 
at one and the same time. Actually her body 
keeps its vertical position, being her heaviest 
part, and it is the lighter wing-supporting thorax 
which is deflected. But the result is the same, 
and every variety and direction of flight is accom- 
plished by the bee on what seems a far more simple 
plan than that evidenced in the flight of birds. 
One of the most difficult things to account for 
in the life of the honey-bee is the fact that the 
temperature of the hive can be varied at the will 
of its occupants. The system of mechanical 
ventilation will, of course, explain how the hive is 
kept cool in the greatest heats of summer, but it 
does not explain the sudden accessions of heat to 
which it is liable from time to time. These occur 
principally when the wax is being generated. 
Under the bronze armour-plates of her body the 
worker-bee has six shallow, but broad depressions, 
beneath which the wax-glands are placed. Perfect 
rest and a high temperature seem to be necessary 
for the stimulation of these glands, and the wax- 
makers consume a large quantity of sweet-food 
during the process. It is generally stated that 
bees fill themselves from the stores of mature 
honey before uniting in the cluster ; but it is more 
probable that the food consumed during wax- 
making is principally the nectar, almost as gathered 
from the flowers. This view is confirmed by cer- 
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