1^4 Mr. Hunter's Observations on Bees. 
it. In giving a totally new account of the wax, I shall first 
show it can hardly be what it has been supposed to be. First, 
I shall observe that the materials, as they are found composing 
the comb, are not to be found in the same state (as a composi- 
tion) in any vegetable, where they have been supposed to be 
got. The substance brought in on their legs, which is the 
farina of the flowers of plants, is, in common, I believe, ima- 
gined to be the materials of which the wax is made, for it is 
called by most the wax : but it is the farina, for it is always of 
the same colour as the farina of the flower where they are 
gathering ; and indeed we see them gathering it, and we also 
see them covered almost all over with it, like a dust ; never- 
theless, it has been supposed to be the wax, or that the wax 
was extracted from it. Reaumur is of this opinion. I made 
several experiments to see if there was such a quantity of oil in 
it, as would account for the quantity of wax to be formed, and 
to learn if it was composed of oil. I held it near the candle ; it 
burnt, but did not smell like wax, and had the same smell, when 
burning, as farina when it was burnt. I observed that this 
substance was of different colours on different bees, but always 
of the same colour on both legs of the same bee ; whereas new 
made comb was all of one colour. I observed, that it was 
gathered with more avidity for old hives, where the comb is 
complete, than for those hives where it is only begun, which 
we could hardly conceive if it was the materials of wax : also 
we may observe, that at the very beginning of a hive, the bees 
seldom bring in any substance on their legs for two or three 
days, and after that the farina gatherers begin to increase ; for 
now some cells are formed to hold it as a store, and some eggs 
are laid, which when hatched will require this substance as 
