300 
BEE. 
have seen eleven, and even thirteen in the same 
hive; commonly they are placed on the edge of one 
or more of the combs, but often on the side of a 
comb; however, not in the centre, along with the 
other cellsjlikea large one placed amongthe others, 
but often against the moutlis of the cells, and pro- 
jecting out beyond the common surface of the comb; 
but most of them are formed from the edge of the 
comb, which terminates in one of these cells. The 
royal cell is much wider than the others, but seldom 
so deep: its mouth is round, and appears to be 
the largest half of an oval in depth, and is declin- 
ing downwards, instead of being horizontal or 
lateral. The materials of which it is composed 
are softer than common w^ax, rather like the last 
mentioned, or those of which the lower edge of 
the plate of comb is made, or with which the bees 
cover the chrysalis: they have very little wax in 
their composition, not one third, the rest I con- 
ceive to be farina. 
“ This is supposed to be the cell in which the 
queen is bred, but 1 have reason to believe that 
this is only imagination: for, first, it is too large, 
and, moreover, seldom so deep as the large cells 
in wdiich the males are bred; whereas, if propoi% 
tioned to the length of the queen, it ought to be 
deeper, for length of body is her greatest dilfer- 
eucc. In the second place, its mouth is placed 
downward; and in tlie third place, it is never 
lined wdth the silken covering of the chrysalis, 
similar to the cells of the males and labourers 3 
