HIVE-BEES. 127 



The foundation wall itself was still of insufficient 

 dimensions to admit the full diameter of a cell; but 

 while the excavations were deepened, wax-workers 

 extracting their scales of wax applied them in enlarg- 

 ing its circumference ; so that it rose nearly two lines 

 further around the circular arch. The nurse-bees, 

 which appeared more especially charged with sculp- 

 turing the cells, being then enabled to continue their 

 outlines, prolonged the cavities, and heightened their 

 margins on the new addition of wax. 



.^' The arch, formed by the edge of each of these 

 cavities, was next divided as by two equal chords, in 

 the line of which the bees formed stages or project- 

 ing borders, or margins meeting at an obtuse angle; 

 the cavities now had four margins, two lateral and 

 perpendicular to the supporting slip, and two oblique, 

 which were shorter. 



" Meantime, it became more difficult to follow the 

 operations of the bees, from their frequently inter- 

 posing their heads between the eye of the observer 

 and the bottom of the cell ; but the partition, whereon 

 their teeth laboured, had become so transparent, as 

 to expose what passed on the other side. 



'' The cavities of which we speak, formed the 

 bottom of the first three cells; and while the bees 

 engaged were advancing them to perfection, other 

 workers commenced sketching a second row of cells 

 above the first, and partly behind those in front — 

 for in general, their labour proceeds by combination. 

 We cannot say, ' When bees have finished this cell, 

 they will begin new ones;' but, 'while particular 

 workers advance a certain portion, we are certain 

 that others will carry on the adjacent cells.' Farther, 

 the work begun on one face of the comb is already 

 the commencement of that which is to follow on the 

 reverse. All this depends on a reciprocal relation, 

 or a mutual connexion of the parts, rendering the 



