INSTINCT OF INSECTS. 547 



before coming to those of males ; the first ranges of which participate in 

 some measure in the irregularity of the former. 



But it is upon the construction of the bottoms of the intermediate ranges 

 of cells that this variation of their architecture chiefly hinges. The 

 bottoms of the regular cells of bees are, as you are aware, composed of three 

 equal-sized rhomboidal pieces ; and the base of a cell on one side of the 

 comb is composed of portions of the bases of three cells on the other; but 

 the bottoms of the intermediate cells in question (though their orifices are 

 perfectly hexagonal) are composed of four pieces, of which two are hexa- 

 gonal and two rhomboidal ; and each, instead of corresponding with three 

 cells on the opposite side, corresponds wiihfour. The size and the shape 

 of the four pieces composing the bottom vary ; and these intermediate 

 cells, a little larger than the third part of the three opposite cells, comprise 

 in their contour a portion of the bottom of the fourth cell. Just below the 

 last range of cells with regular pyramidal bottoms are found cells with 

 bottoms of four pieces, of which three are very large, and one very small, 

 and this last is a rhomb. The two rhombs of the transition cells are sepa- 

 rated by a considerable interval ; but the two hexagonal pieces are adja- 

 cent, and perfectly alike. A cell lower, we perceive that the two rhombs 

 of the bottom are not so unequal : the contour of the cell has included a 

 greater portion of the opposite fourth cell. Lastly, we find cells in pretty 

 considerable number of which the bottom is composed of four pieces per- 

 fectly regular namely, two elongated hexagons and two equal rhombs, 

 but smaller than those of the pyramidal bottoms. In proportion as we 

 remove our view from the cells with regular tetrahedral bottoms, whether in 

 descending or from right to left, we see that the subsequent cells resume 

 their ordinary form : that is to say, that one of their rhombs is gradually 

 lessened until it finally disappears entirely ; and the pyramidal form re- 

 exhibits itself, but on a larger scale than in the cells at the top of the 

 comb. This regularity is maintained in a great number of ranges,' namely, 

 those consisting of male cells ; afterwards the cells diminish in size, and 

 we again remark the tetrahedral bottoms just described, until the cells have 

 once more resumed the proper diameter of those of workers. 



It is, then, by encroaching in a small degree upon the cells of the other 

 face of the comb, that bees at length succeed in giving greater dimensions 

 to their cells; and the graduation of the transition cells being reciprocal on 

 the two faces of the comb, it follows that on both sides each hexagonal 

 contour corresponds with four cells. When the bees have arrived at any 

 degree of this mode of operating, they can stop there and continue to em- 

 ploy it in several consecutive ranges of cells ; but it is to the intermediate 

 degree that they appear to confine themselves for the longest period, and 

 we then find a great number of cells of which the bottoms of four pieces 

 are perfectly regular. They might, then, construct the whole comb on 

 this plan, if their object were not to revert to the pyramidal form with 

 which they set out. In building the male cells, the bees' begin their founda- 

 tion with a block or mass of wax thicker and higher than that employed 

 for the cells of workers, without which it would be impracticable for them 

 to preserve the same order and symmetry in working on a larger scale. 



Irregularities (to use the language of Huber, from whom the above 

 details are abstracted) have often been observed in the cells of bees. 

 Reaumur, Bonnet, and other naturalists, cite them as so many examples of 



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