CHAPTER XYIII. 



COMB. 



" THE combs of a bee-hive," says Bevan, " com- 

 prise a congeries of hexagonal cells, formed by the 

 bees as a receptacle for honey or embryo bees. A 

 honey-comb is allowed to be one of the most striking 

 achievements of insect industry, and an admirable 

 specimen of insect architecture. It has attracted 

 the admiration of the contemplative philosopher in 

 all ages, and awakened speculation not only in the 

 naturalist, but also in the mathematician ; so regular, 

 so perfect is the structure of the cells, that it satisfies 

 every condition of a refined problem in geometry. 



"Each comb in a hive is composed of two cells, 

 backed against each other; these cells, looking at 

 them as a whole, may be said to have one common 

 base, though no one cell is opposed directly to an- 

 other. This base, or partition between the double 

 row of cells, is so disposed as to form a pyramidal 

 cavity at the bottom of each cell, as will be explained 

 presently. The mouths of the cells, thus ranged on 

 each side of a comb, open into two parallel streets ; 

 (there being a continued series of combs in every 



