357 
The next structure of importance to which I would call your atten- 
tion is the wax pincers (Fig. 24, A, a, b), which is a modified structure of 
the juncture of the tibia and metatarsus of the posterior legs. With 
these i)incers the wax producer plucks a scale from one of its wax 
plates, passes it rapidly forward to the mouth, and here makes it plas- 
tic and at the same time more or less yellow, by continually manipu- 
lating and chewing it between the mandibles. Then the bee sticks it 
to the under surface of the hive cover or object to which the comb is 
to be attached. More wax is added, forming a slight ridge, which is 
chiseled or pressed from each side by workers, using their firm and 
highly polished maxilla?, and placing themselves so that their range of 
work will overlap just one-half. As this ridge is built down, forming a 
sheet — the septum upon which the cells are constructed — the sides of 
the latter are started simultaneously. In their efforts to make the cells 
concave at the bottom and so as to fit together at the sides without 
loss of material, mutual pressure results in straight lines, the sides 
Fig. 24.— Modifications of the hind legs of different bees: A, Apis: a, wax cutter and outer 
view of leg ; b, inner aspect of wax cutter and leg ; c, compound hairs ; d, anterior leg, showing anten- 
nal scraper. B, JUelipona: f, peculiar group of spines at apex of tibia; g, inner aspect of wax cut- 
ters and first joint of tarsus. C, Bombus: h, wax cutter; i, inner view of same and first joint of 
tarsus— all enlarged. (From Riley.) 
becoming hexagonal in outline, just as six soap bubbles resting against 
a seventh causes the latter to assume a hexagonal form; while the bee 
starting a cell on the bottom of one already commenced on the other 
side naturally takes the apex of the latter as a part of the boundary 
of its own cell in order that the latter may also be concave. Thus 
three rhomboidal faces forming the base of one cell form individually 
a part of each one of three cells on the opposite side. 
Finally, I would call your attention to the arrangement of the hairs 
on the inside and outside of the legs (Fig. 24, A), so well fitted for col- 
lecting and holding pollen, and to what is known as the antennse-comb 
or strigil (Fig. 24, d) 1 a structure with which the bee cleanses itself, and 
especially the antennae, which are organs of extreme sensibility and 
need to be kept well cleaned. This structure occurs on the under side 
of each front leg and is a semi-circular cavity in the upper end of the 
