abode with which we have provided them it is not so urgent a necessity, this being already wind-and-water-tight, although in the progress of their labours they find it indispensable, and use it to fasten the crevices that intervene between the bottom of the hive and the bee board, and, as before noticed, to strengthen the support of the cakes of comb which hang from the roof. The name it still retains is that which was applied to it by the ancients, and signifies _before the city_, as indicative of its use in strengthening the outworks. Conjoined herewith is the imperative need for the construction of cells for every purpose of the hive, namely, for the storing of the propolis, and that of the pollen, as also the collected honey, as well as for the reception of the young brood, for the mature queen is waiting impatiently to deposit her eggs. Simultaneously, therefore, is the wax being secreted and elaborated by the processes previously noticed. The community is already late, and all are at once in active operation, but four-and-twenty hours must elapse before the cells can he commenced, for it takes that time to secrete the first batch of wax. Festoons, as before described, of these wax secreters are hanging in every direction within the cavity of the hive, and as soon as the process is completed by the first festoon, this dissolves itself by the several bees unlinking their feet, and a leading bee proceeds to the top of the centre of the hive, where she makes herself room from the lateral pressure of other bees, by turning herself sharply about and agitating her wings, and there she collects the scales from the surface of her ventral segments, manipulates them as before noticed, and thus converts them into wax. The rest follow her, and she collects it from them into a little oblong mass of about half an inch; whilst other bees from other festoons are continually arriving to deposit their produce; and as soon as the mass is sufficiently large, which is speedily the case, a sculpturer bee succeeds, and the first cell is laterally commenced. On the opposite side to where this is being framed, two other bees are at work, moulding the bottoms of two cells in apposition to the basis of the first one. The wax keeps constantly increasing by fresh deposits, and the rudiments of more cells are as rapidly formed. These all emanate laterally, in a horizontal direction or with a very slight incline towards their base. They gradually form the vertical cake of comb, for the bottom of one entire range of cells suffices for both sides and inevitably they are so adjusted that the bottoms of those on either side are each covered by one-third of the bottoms of each cell on the opposite side, and so conversely, receiving and communicating strength by three thus supporting one. Here comes the great wonder of the hive; here in this fragile structure abides a mystery that has perplexed man’s keenest sagacity. Is it accident or is it intelligence that instructs