HIVE-BEES. 93 



worked in wax in his own hives, and in those of the 

 other cultivators of the district. 



There is still another sort of bees, first observed 

 by Huber in 1809, which appear to be only casual 

 inmates of the hive, and which are driven forth to 

 starve, or are killed in conflict. They closely re- 

 semble the ordinary workers, but are less hairy, and 

 of a much darker colour. These have been called 

 black bees, and are supposed by Huber to be defective 

 bees*; but Kirby and Spence conjecture that they 

 are toil-worn superannuated workers, of no farther 

 use, and are therefore sacrificed, because burdensome 

 to a community which tolerates no unnecessary in- 

 mates. The very great numbers of black bees, how- 

 ever, which sometimes appear, does not well accord 

 with such an opinion. The subject remains, there- 

 fore, still in uncertainty. 



Preparation of Wax. 



In order to build the beautiful combs, which every 

 one must have repeatedly seen and admired, it is 

 indispensable that the architect-bees should be pro- 

 vided with the materials — with the wax, in short, of 

 which they are principally formed. Before we follow 

 them, therefore, to the operation of building, it may 

 be necessary to inquire how the wax itself is pro- 

 cured. Here the discoveries of recent inquirers have 

 been little less singular and unexpected than in other 

 departments of the history of these extraordinary in- 

 sects. Now that it has been proved that wax is 

 secreted by bees, it is not a little amusing to read 

 the accounts given by our elder naturalists, of 

 its being collected fr-om flowers. Our countryman, 



* Huber on Bees, p. 338. 



