wax. 85 



gathered and stored very rapidly ; no time elapsing 

 for the water to evaporate, the honey is consequently 

 thin. When the cells are filled and the water has 

 had time to evaporate, leaving the honey of a proper 

 consistency, they are capped over with waxen lids, 

 which are formed by first constructing a ring of wax 

 within the verge of the cell, to which another and 

 another ring is added, until the aperture is finally 

 closed with a lid composed of concentric circles. 

 This operation may very easily and readily be ob- 

 served in all its stages, from the time they commence 

 until the cell is closed. Caps of honey cells are con- 

 cave, whilst young brood cells, when capped, are 

 convex, 



I cannot leave this part of my subject without 

 again professing my profound admiration for the 

 achitectural instincts of the honey bee; and am una- 

 ble better to express it, than by quoting Mr. Quinby's 

 remarks upon this point. He says: "The exact and 

 uniform size of their cells is perhaps as great a mys- 

 tery as anything pertaining to them; yet, we find 

 the second wonder before we are done with the first. 

 In comb building, they have no square or compass 

 as a guide; no master mechanic takes the lead, 

 measuring and marking for the workmen ; each in- 

 dividual among them is a finished mechanic ! No 

 time is lost as an apprentice, no service given in re- 

 turn for instruction ! Each is accomplished from 

 birth! All are alike; what one begins, a dozen may 

 help to finish ! A specimen of their work shows itself 

 to be from the hands of master workmen, and may be 

 8 



