186 HABITATIONS OF ANIMALS. 



elating insects, who construct habitations by exerting a com- 

 mon and mutual labor. 



The skill and dexterity of the honey-bees displayed in the 

 construction of their combs or nests, have at all times called 

 forth the admiration of mankind. They are composed of cells 

 regularly applied to each other's sides. These cells are uni- 

 form hexagons or six-sided figures. In a bee-hive, every part 

 is arranged with such symmetry, and so finely finished, that, 

 if limited to the same materials, the most expert workman 

 would find himself unqualified to construct a similar habita- 

 tion, or rather a similar city. 



Most natural historians have celebrated bees for their 

 wisdom, for the perfection and harmony of their republican 

 government, and for their persevering industry and wonderful 

 economy. All these splendid talents, however, the late inge- 

 nious Count de Buffon has endeavored to persuade us, are 

 only results of pure mechanism. But this is not the proper 

 place to enter into a discussion of this point. It will fall 

 more naturally to be treated of when we come to describe 

 the societies established among different gregarious animals. 

 We shall, therefore, at present, confine ourselves chiefly to 

 the mode in which bees construct their habitations. 



In the formation of their combs, bees seem to resolve a 

 problem which would not be a little puzzling to some geome- 

 ters, namely, a quantity of wax being given, to make of it 

 equal and similar cells of a determined capacity, but of the " 

 largest size in proportion to the quantity of matter employed, 

 and disposed in such a manner as to occupy in the hive the 

 least possible space. Every part of this problem is completely 

 executed by the bees. By applying hexagonal cells to each 

 other's sides, no void spaces are left between them ; and, 

 though the same end might be accomplished by other fig- 

 ures, yet they would necessarily require a greater quantity of 

 wax. Besides, hexagonal cells are better fitted to receive 

 the cylindrical bodies of these insects. A comb consists of 

 two strata of cells applied to each other's ends. This arrange- 

 ment both saves room in the hive, and it gives a double entry 

 into the cells of which the comb is composed. As a further 

 saving of wax, and preventing void spaces, the bases of these 

 cells in one stratum of a comb serve for bases to the opposite 

 stratum. In a word, the more minutely the construction of 

 these cells is examined, the more will the admiration of the 

 observer be excited. The walls of the cells are so extremely 

 thin, that their mouths would be in danger of suffering by 



