cH. m.] 



THE HIVE BEE. 



47 



contains also narrower passages, by which the com- 

 munication between one cake and another is mate- 

 rially shortened. The lioney-conib is placed ver- 

 tically in the hive. Each comb is composed of two 

 layers of six-sided cells, united by their bases. 



If the bee formed its comb like the wasp, having 

 the opening- of the cells towards one of its faces, 

 and the base towards the other, it is evident that 

 the nmnber of cells placed in one comb would have 

 formed two combs — and two combs, each contain- 

 mg a single set of cells, would of course take up 

 more room than a single comb, in which the two 

 rows of cells are united base to base. 



The cells are usually placed in a horizontal po- 

 sition, so that their mouths open towards the sides 

 of the hive. The bottom of the cells, instead of 

 forming one flat square, is composed of three 

 lozenge-shaped pieces, so united as to make the 

 cell end in a point; — consequently, the whole is 

 a hexagonal tube, terminating in a pyramidal ca- 

 vity. 



If the two cells had been a single hexagonal tube, 

 intersected in the middle by a flat instead of a pyra- 

 midal division, not only the shape would not have 

 answered the purpose of the bees, but more wax 

 would have been expended in its constructi^in 



