Insect Geometry 



ducing confusion, achieves perfect regularity. 

 By slow degrees the spacious dome of the 

 summit decreases in diameter; by degrees 

 it tapers into a cone and ends in a graceful 

 neck. Individual and almost independent 

 efforts result in an harmonious whole. 

 Why? 



Because these building insects possess an 

 innate geometry, an order of architecture 

 which is known without being taught and 

 which is constant in the same group, while 

 varying as between one group and another. 

 Just as much as the details of the organism, 

 or perhaps even more so, this propensity to 

 build according to certain determined rules 

 characterizes the corporations known by the 

 name of species, j The Chalicodoma of the 

 Walls has her earthen tower, the Pelopaeus 

 her twisted clay cylinder, the Agenia her 

 urn, the Anthidium her cotton wallet, the 

 Eumenes her open-mouthed cupola and the 

 Wasp her paper balloon. And so with the 

 others : each has her own art. 



Our builders contrive and calculate be- 

 fore they set to work. The insect di- 

 spenses with these preliminaries; it knows 

 nothing of the hesitations of apprentice- 

 ship. Frdm the laying of the first stone it 

 is a past master of its craft. It builds with 

 229 



