HABITATIONS OF INSECTS. 497 



sion add their efforts to hers, each appearing to act in- 

 dividually in a direction impressed either by the workers 

 who have preceded it, or by the condition in which it 

 finds the work. The whole population of wax-makers 

 is in a state of the most complete inaction till one bee 

 goes forth to lay the foundations of the first comb. Im- 

 mediately others second her intentions, adding to the 

 height and length of the mass ; and when they cease to 

 act, a bee, if the term may be used, of another profes- 

 sion, one of the nurse-bees, goes to form the draught of 

 the first cell, in which she is succeeded by others. 



The diameters of the cells intended for the larvae of 

 workers is always 2 £ lines, that of those meant for the 

 larvae of the males or drones c 6\ lines. The male cells 

 are generally in the middle of the combs, or in their 

 sides ; rarely in their upper part. They are never in- 

 sulated, but form a corresponding group on both sides 

 the comb. When the bees form male cells below those 

 of neuters, they construct many rows of intermediate ones, 

 the diameter of which augments progressively till it at- 

 tains that of a male cell ; and they observe the same me- 

 thod when they revert from male cells to those of neuters. 

 It appears to be the oviposition of the queen which de- 

 cides the kind of cells that are to be made : while she 

 lays the eggs of workers, no male cells are constructed ; 

 but when she is about to lay the eggs of males, the neu- 

 ters appear to know it and act accordingly. — When there 

 is a very large harvest of honey, the bees increase the 

 diameter and even the length of their cells. At this 

 time many irregular combs may be seen with cells of 

 twelve, fifteen, and even eighteen lines in length. Some- 



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