four days take out the bees and remove the combs;
inclose them again, and feed with honey as before. Repeat the process,
until satisfied that no pollen is needed in the composition of wax.
Huber removed the combs "five times," with the same result at every
trial. Whenever bees are _confined_ in hot weather, _air and water are
absolutely necessary_.

We will now describe the first appearance of wax, and how it is
produced. When a swarm of bees is about leaving the parent stock,
three-fourths or more of them will fill their sacks with honey. When
located in their new home, of course no cells exist to hold it; it must
remain in the stomach or sack for several hours. The consequence is,
that thin white scales of wax the sixteenth of an inch in diameter,
somewhat circular, are formed between the rings of the abdomen, under
side. With the claws of one of their hind legs one of these is detached
and conveyed to the mouth, and there pinched with their forceps or
teeth, until one edge is worked somewhat rough; it is then applied to
the comb being constructed, or to the roof of the hive. The first
rudiments of comb are often applied within the first half hour after
the swarm is hived. In the history of insects before noticed, is a
minute 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 construction 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
operation, 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 di