WAX. 
117 
account of the first foundation of combs, somewhat 
amusing, if not instructive. 
huber’s account of a commencement of comb. 
Huber, it is said, “ having provided a hive with 
honey and water, it was resorted to in crowds by bees, 
who, having satisfied their appetite, returned to the 
hive. They formed festoons, remained motionless for 
twenty-four hours, and after a time scales of wax 
appeared. An adequate supply of wax for the con- 
struction of a comb having been elaborated, one of 
them disengaged itself from the centre of the group, 
and clearing a space about an inch in diameter, at the 
top of the hive, applied the pincers of one of its legs 
to its side, detached a scale of wax, and immediately 
began to mince it with the tongue. During the opera- 
tion, this organ was made to assume every variety of 
shape ; sometimes it appeared like a trowel, then 
flattened like a spatula, and at other times like a 
pencil, ending in a point. The scale, moistened with a 
frothy liquid, became glutinous, and was drawn out 
like a riband. This bee then attached all the wax it 
could concoct to the vault of the hive, and went its 
way. A second now succeeded, and did the like ; a 
third followed, but owing to some blunder did not put 
the wax in the same line with its predecessor ; upon 
which another bee, apparently sensible of the defect, 
removed the displaced wax, and carrying it to the 
former heap, deposited it there, exactly in the order 
and direction pointed out.” Now I have some objec- 
tions to make to this account. First, in the usual 
