The Life of the Bee 



foundresses proceed to add a second block 

 of wax to the roof; and so in gradation a 

 third and a fourth. These blocks follow 

 each other at regular intervals so nicely 

 calculated that when, at a much later 

 period, the comb shall be fully developed, 

 there will be ample space for the bees to 

 move between its parallel walls. 



Their plan must therefore embrace the 

 final thickness of every comb, which will 

 be from eighty-eight to ninety-two hun- 

 dredths of an inch, and at the same time 

 the width of the avenues between, which 

 must be about half an inch, or in other 

 words twice the height of a bee, since 

 there must be room to pass back to back 

 between the combs. 



The bees, however, are not infallible, 

 nor does their certainty appear mechanical. 

 They will commit grave errors at times, 

 when circumstances present unusual diffi- 

 culty. They will often leave too much 



l'6^ 



