114 
WAX. 
even two miles. Let us say we guess at it, for the 
present. 
CHAPTER V. 
WAX. 
The careless, unreflecting observer, when seeing the 
bees enter the hive with a pellet of pollen on each of 
their posterior legs, is very apt to conclude that it 
must be material for comb, as it appears unlike honey. 
So little regard is paid to the matter by many people, 
that they are unable to imagine any other use for it. 
Others suppose that it will change from that to honey, 
after being stored a time in the hive, and wonder at 
the curious phenomenon ; but when asked how long 
a time must elapse before it takes place, they cannot 
tell exactly, but they “ have found cells where it be- 
gan to change, as a portion near the outer end of the 
cell had become honey, and no doubt the remainder 
would in time.” It has been remarked that cells were 
only filled about two-thirds full of this, and finished 
with honey; now when any one finds a cell filled to 
the brim with pollen, and no honey, such reasoning 
will apply better. If this was the case, by examining 
at different periods through the summer, we certainly 
should find some cells before the change had com- 
menced, instead of their always being in just this stage 
of transition. 
