ARCHITECTURE. 199 
in the same way; but they are rather finer, and the 
work is more regular, than in the case of the nest. 
But though we cannot see all their proceedings just 
when we wish, the results are easily intelligible, 
By the indications of the variegated colours. of the 
materials, and by the line of fracture when we tear 
up the softened cells, the details of their construction 
can be readily made out. The microscope tells us: 
that the comb is made of the same materials as the 
case, but the paper is perhaps rather thicker, and of 
a closer texture. In the first beginning of the nest 
we saw how the four original cells took the form of 
so many little pockets attached to the footstalk ; 
and this is still just the form which they take at the 
edge of the growing comb ;—little pouches, with three 
straight sides where they fit on the cells already 
built, and one longer curved wall on the outer face. 
As the cell-wall rises, and the little pouch takes its 
place in the ranks as a cell, its transverse section 
displays a regular rectilinear hexagon; and the sur- 
face of a finished wasps’ comb presents a series of 
as beautifully symmetrical hexagons as the comb of 
the honey-bee. But, for this result, it is necessary 
that the work should go on regularly. In the combs 
of a second nest, where the work has been carried 
on hurriedly, and under the guidance of many mis- 
tresses, the form of the cells is very irregular, round 
or square cells, irregular hexagons, and occasional 
intercellular spaces bemg often met with. And, 
generally speaking, the outermost cells of all combs, 
by whatever species they may be made, are not 
constructed with the same geometrical precision 
as the central cells. The free wall is either a seg- 
