490 INSTINCT OF INSECTS. 



cells on the opposite side, coiTesponds with four. The 

 size and the shape of the four pieces composing the 

 bottom, vary ; and these intermediate cells, a little 

 larger than the third part of the three opposite cells, 

 comprise in their contour a portion of the bottom of a 

 fourth cell. Just below the last range of cells with re- 

 gular pyramidal bottoms, are found cells with bottoms 

 of four pieces, of which three are \ery large, and one 

 very small, and this last is a rhomb. — The two rhombs 

 of the transition cells are sepai'ated by a considerable 

 interval ; but the two hexagonal pieces are adjacent 

 and perfectly alike. A cell lower, we perceive that 

 tlie two rhombs of the bottom are not so unequal : the 

 contour of the cell has included a greater portion of 

 the opposite fourth cell. Lastly, we find cells in pretty 

 considerable number, of which the bottom is composed 

 of four pieces perfectly regular — namely, two elon- 

 gated hexagons and two equal rhombs, but smaller than 

 those of the pyramidal bottoms. In proportion as we 

 remove our view from the cells with regular tetrahe- 

 dral bottoms, whether in descending or from right to 

 left, we see that the subsequent cells resume their or- 

 dinary form ; that is to say, that one of their rhombs is 

 gi-adually lessened until it finally disappears entirely ; 

 and the pyramidal form re-exhibits itself, but on a 

 larger scale than in the ceils at the top of the comb. 

 This regularity is maintained in a great number of 

 ranges, namely, those consisting of male cells ; after- 

 wards the cells diminish in size, and we again remark 

 the tetrahedral bottoms just described, until the cells 

 have once more resumed the proper diameter of those 

 of workers. 



