158 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



Huber and Hunter both remarked that the common 

 idea, that wax had its origin in pollen, did not ap- 

 pear to agree with observed facts — e.g., swarms 

 placed in empty hives carry little or no pollen, but 

 nevertheless build combs rapidly ; whilst the bees 

 of old hives, which construct no new cells, indus- 

 triously carry home the many-coloured pellets. 



Huber's experiments,* intended to settle the question 

 of the origin of wax, are too important to be passed 

 over. He placed a swarm in a straw skep, and sup- 

 plied it with honey and water, whilst so shutting in 

 the bees as to permit of full ventilation. The agita- 

 tion of the captives passed away when their hive was 

 placed in a cool, dark spot. At the expiration of 

 five days, five white and very fragile combs had been 

 constructed. These were removed, and the experi- 

 ment continued, as it might have been argued that 

 the pollen the bees contained at the beginning of 

 the trial had sufficed to yield the wax. After a 

 further imprisonment of three days, and feeding as 

 before, five other combs were formed. This proce- 

 dure was repeated to the fifth time with similar results. 

 The experiment was now reversed, a swarm being 

 supplied with pollen, but not honey, and during 

 eight days of captivity neither wax scales nor cells 

 of comb were produced. 



Huber had not failed to note that honey con- 

 tained both minute quantities of pollen and, acci- 

 dentally, scraps of wax, so his earlier experiment 

 was re-tried upon three swarms. The first received 



Nouvelles Observations sur les Abeilles," 18 14. 



