| Of the Bees Works, &c. a 105 
convey it to the apartments, and unload it themfelves.* 
But that is a work of fupererogation, And why not all 
of them ? all this is fo entirely fancy, and far from sit 
as to need no further confutation.. ta hs 
That I may more fully fatisfy my reader in this point, 
and at the fame time fhew how remote the faid authors. 
were from truth, I fubjoin the following remarks. 
_ Itis fo fully manifeft and obvious, that what is for feve- 
ral months together fo plentifully imported into the hives, 
is not wax, nor hath the leat affinity with wax, that itis 
not to be contradicted, tho’ fevera! of our writers contend 
for it, and it is generally accounted fuch by the populace. 
Both Butler, Purchas and Rufden, have fully confuted 
this vulgar error in the particulars following. When 
the hives have been for a year or more filled with combs 
down to the floor, and there isnomore room to build, they 
yet carry of this faid matter in the greateft plenty; and 
even when no more wax is wanting, only to feal up the 
honey, and the breeding cells, for which a very fmall 
quantity is fuficient. 
Further: do but examine the faid matter with your 
fingers, and you will prefently perceive the particles to 
feparate from each other, and crumble to powder, where- 
as wax, on the contrary, will adhere and cleave toge= 
ther : or if you carry it to the fire you fhall fee it turn to 
afhes and duft; when the other fhall melt and diffolve. 
A plain evidence it is not wax ! 
The diverfity again of it’s colours is an additional 
proof of what lam difputing for, Senfe itfelf is an e- 
yidence, 
t Nat, Delin, p. 106, 
