COMBS. 25 



ated, suspend themselves to each other, the claws of 

 the fore-legs of the lowermost being attached to those of 

 the hind pair of the uppermost, and form themselves into 

 a cluster, the exterior layer of which looks like a kind of 

 curtain. This cluster consists of a series of festoons or 

 garlands which cross each other in all directions, and in 

 which most of the Bees turn their back upon the observer ; 

 the curtain has no other motion than what it receives 

 from the interior layers, the fluctuations of which are 

 communicated to it. All this time the Nurse Bees 

 preserve their wonted activity and pursue their usual 

 employments. The Wax Makers remain immovable for 

 about twenty-four hours, during which period the forma- 

 tion of wax takes place ; and thin laminae of this material 

 may be generally perceived under their abdomen. One 

 of these Bees is now seen to detach itself from one of 

 the central garlands of the cluster, to make a way 

 amongst its companions to the middle of the vault or 

 top of the hive, and by turning itself round to form a 

 kind of void, in which it can move itself freely. It then 

 suspends itself to the centre of the space which it has 

 cleared, the diameter of which is about an inch ; it next 

 seizes one of the laminae of wax with a pincer formed by 

 the posterior metatarsus and tibia, and drawing it from 

 beneath the abdominal segment, one of the anterior legs 

 takes it with its claws and carries it to the mouth. This 

 leg holds the lamina with its claws vertically, the tongue 

 rolled up serving for a support, and by elevating or 

 depressing it at will, causes the whole of its circumference 

 to be exposed to the action of the mandibles, so that 

 the margin is soon gnawed into pieces, which drop as 

 they are detached into the double cavity, bordered 

 with hairs, of the mandibles. These fragments, pressed 

 by others newly separated, fall on one side of the 



