The Progress of the Race 
tree or a cavern, the bees have followed 
what at first was an audacious idea, based 
on observation, probably, on experience and 
reasoning. And this idea might be almost 
declared to have been as important to the 
destinies of the domestic bee as was the 
invention of fire to the destinies of man. 
103 
This great progress, not the less actual 
for being hereditary and ancient, was followed 
by an infinite variety of details which prove 
that the industry, and even the policy, of 
the hive have not crystallised into infrangible 
formule. We have already mentioned the 
intelligent substitution of flour for pollen, 
and of an artificial cement for propolis. We 
have seen with what skill the bees are able 
to adapt to their needs the occasionally dis- 
concerting dwellings into which they are 
introduced, and the surprising adroitness 
wherewith they turn combs of foundation 
wax to good account. They display extra-° 
ordinary ingenuity in their manner of hand- 
ling these marvellous combs, which are so 
397 
