126 
WAX. 
the receptacles were discovered where the wax is 
lodged after its transudation from the body of the bee, 
— that a vast number of small scales, proved to be 
wax, are to be seen at the bottom of the hive in which 
bees have recently been lodged, and which have cer- 
tainly fallen from them while hurriedly occupied in 
fixing the foundation of their combs, — and, that these 
scales have been observed by many, ourselves among 
the number, appearing under the rings of the abdomen, 
and more than half extruded. And, finally, these dis- 
coveries, which some, perhaps, might regard as little 
more than presumptive evidence, have been followed 
up by Huber with his usual success, and the formation 
of wax from honey or sugar, the saccharine part of which 
last-mentioned substance constitutes one principal in- 
gredient of honey, established by such unequivocal ex- 
periments as to force conviction on the most sceptical. 
We have again to express our regret that our narrow 
limits oblige us to give only a very brief abstract of these 
most interesting and conclusive experiments, and to 
refer the reader to the amplerdetails to befound in Hu- 
ber’s work. He lodged a young swarm in a straw hive, 
furnishing them with honey and water, and confining 
them for five days ; at the end of that period the bees 
had consumed the whole of their provisions, and had 
constructed several combs of beautiful wax. These 
combs were removed and more honey given them, 
and the result was the same. This removal was made 
five times successively, and on each occasion, being 
supplied exclusively with honey, they produced new 
combs ; thus putting it beyond dispute that this sub- 
