I have put, beyond showing how completely this circular 

 thcnn, fakes hold of us all, to account for even eijes, whilst 

 the hexagonal fi.rm ef cells (or eyes) is the plan laid down 

 by the Great Architect, and the bees (and the eyes) carry 

 out his designs. " It appears to us questionable whether 

 the normal shape of these lenses is hexagonal or whether 

 this fcn-m is not rather a necessity of growth ; that is to say, 

 we think they are normally round, but assume the hexagonal 

 shape during the process of development in consequence of 

 their agglomeration. If this be correct, it applies equally 

 to the compound eyes of all insects." So says the modern 

 naturalist. I cannot do better than at once attack the 

 fallacy of the circular system as applied (by philosophers) 

 to the construction of the hexagonal cells of bees and wasps 

 (as the latter have the same formation of lenses or hexa- 

 gonal shapes as the honey bee), and I will leave the disco- 

 very I made many years ago of the proofs of the queen cells 

 and breeding cells not being sealed with wax, but closed 

 with the silken meshes of the cocoon spun and formed by 

 the larva or embryo bee, uutil the latter part of this paper. 

 So perfect is the structure of the hexagonal cells of bees 

 that it satisfies every condition of a refined problem in 

 geometry, and I will just detain you for a moment by stating 

 the strength with which these cells arc built. While there 

 is great economy of materials, there are no useless partitions 

 in a honey comb ; the transition cells are honey cells ; each 

 of the six lateral panels of one cell forms also one of the 

 panels of an adjoining cell ; and of the tiirce rhombs which 

 form the pyramidal base of a cell, each contributes one- 

 third towards the formation of the bases of three opposing 

 cells, the bottom or centre of every cell resting against the 

 point of union of three panels that arc at the back of it. 

 Besides this there is economy of room, no interstices being 

 left between adjoining cells (which circles would certainly 

 produce). Thus the greatest possible capacity or internal 

 space is secured, consistent with the two former desiderata, 

 and economy of materials and economy of room produce 

 economy of labour, whilst the whole ranges of culls aro 



