104* ARCHITECTURE OP BEES. 



Its confined limits prevented any considerable numbei 

 of -bees from working at the foundation of the comb 

 above. A large portion of them, therefore, began 

 a comb, or rather two, (PL XII. Fig. 2, a, >,) on 

 the rod which crosses the hive in the middle ; and 

 thus two combs were being constructed at the same 

 time, and which ultimately became one. It ap- 

 peared, however, that there was still a want of room, 

 and of employment for these willing and industrious 

 labourers ; for to our surprise a portion of them ' 

 began a comb (d, e,} oh the upper side of the cross 

 rod, and, contrary to their natural mode of proceed- 

 ing, worked upwards; so that in a short period, the 

 upper comb and the central piece met, and the whole 

 formed ultimately one solid square. The surface of 

 a new comb is not quite flat, but lenticular, that is, 

 its thickness decreases towards the edges, and, conse- 

 quently, the latest made cells are shorter or shallower 

 than the others. So long as the comb has not 

 reached its utmost limits, this shape is preserved ; 

 but when the bees have no more room for its en- 

 largement, they make all the cells of equal depth, 

 and thus it obtains two flat and straight surfaces, 

 which it will continue to retain, unless in certain 

 circumstances. Should it be broken by any means, 

 the edges of what remains must be reduced again to 

 their lenticular shape before the bees can repair the 

 structure, and prolong it to its former dimensions.* 

 This happens also when the hive is enlarged, by 

 giving it what is called in Scotland an eek, or addition 

 * Huber. 372. 



