180 THE BBK-KBKPER S GUIDB ; 



tricians to form the hexagonal cells. The assertion that the 

 cells of honey-comb are absolutely uniform and perfect is 

 untrue, as a little inspection will convince any one. The late 

 Prof. J. Wyman demonstrated that an exact hexagonal cell 

 does not exist. He also showed that the size varies, so that in 

 a distance of ten worker-cells there may be a variation of one 

 cell in diameter, and this in natural, not distorted, cells. Any 

 one who doubts can easily prove, by a little careful examina- 

 tion, that Prof. Wyman was correct. This variation of one- 

 fifth of an inch in ten cells is extreme, but variation of one- 



Fig 77. 



Irregular Cells, (rnodified) from Cowan. 



tenth of an inch is common. The sides, as also the angles, 

 are not constant. The rhombic faces forming the bases of the 

 cells also vary. The idea which has come down from the past 

 that mathematics and measurement exactly agreed upon the 

 angles of the rhombs, that the two opposite obtuse angles were 

 each 109° 28' 16" and the acute 70° 31' and 44" is without foun- 

 dation in fact. Mr. Cowan figures (Fig. 77) triangular, quad- 

 rangular, and even cells with seven sides. Of course, such 

 deformity is very rare. 



