HYMENOPTEEA. 325 



geometry seems to have guided the design for the whole work, 

 and to have presided over its execution. One finds that all the 

 advantages which could have been desired are here combined. 

 The bees seem to have had to solve a problem containing condi- 

 tions which would have made the solution appear to be difficult 

 to many geometricians. This problem may be thus enunciated : 

 given a quantity of matter, say of wax, it is required to form cells, 

 which shall be equal and similar to each other, of a determined 

 capacity, but as large as possible in proportion to the quantity of 

 matter which is employed, and the cells to be so placed that they 

 may occupy the least possible space in the hive. To satisfy this 

 last condition, the cells should touch each other in such a manner 

 that ti^ere ir ^ \t\ ain no angular space between them, no gap to 

 fill up. iiic bees have satisfied these conditions, and at the same 

 time they nae_satisfied the first conditions of the problem in 

 making cells which are tubes having six equal sides, or in other 

 words, hexagonal tu ull further that the best 



thing the bees could Vir space and materials, 



was to compose their honeyco. rows of cells turned in 



opposite directions." / 



This arrangement, it will be seen, enables them to economise the 

 half of the wax intended for making the bases of the cells. They 

 economise it still more by making the bases and the sides of the 

 tubes extremely thin ; the borders only of the comb being fortified 

 by an excess of wax. These two-sided combs descend from the 

 roof of the hive in parallel series, their thickness being about half 

 an inch. They are fixed to the top by a sort of wax foot, and 

 fastened to the sides by numerous bands. The bees pass between 

 the rows, besides excavating circular openings, which serve as 

 doors of communication. The form and the general arrangement 

 of these buildings are otherwise very varied, according to circum- 

 stances. The bees always accommodate themselves to the nature 

 of the hive. 



In all these operations they exhibit great judgment. It is 

 impossible, when one has once seen them at work, to look on them 

 as mere organized machines, whose instinct is their spring of 

 action ; we are forced to concede to them intelligence. 



The cells are of three dimensions : the small ones intended for 



