122 HYMENOPTERA. 



the cells of which are afterwards greatly increased in number 

 after the first brood of females appear), convinced us that 

 the Wasp begins with the circular cup-shaped form of cell, and 

 when about depositing an egg in it, changes her mode of ope- 

 rating, builds up the edges into a hexagonal form, and carries 

 up the rim of each cell independently to its required height. 

 She thus apparently changes her plan at a certain stage of the 

 work, and is so far a free agent. 



Mr. Smith also exhibited a portion of the nest of another 

 wasp, Tatua Mario (Plate 5, Fig. 9), that proved to his mind 

 the primary intention of the wasp instinctively to build cells 

 with exactly six sides. The figure represents part of one of 

 the flat floors, on which the foundations of the cells are laid in 

 regular hexagons, instead of beginning in hemispherical cups. 



Mr. Smith (p. 141) concludes, "that all hexagonal cells are 

 not constructed upon a circular principle, and that the primary 

 idea of all social bees and wasps is not to produce cylindrical 

 cells with hemispherical bases." 



In this connection the following extract from Mr. Smith's 

 remarks is of interest : "It may not be known that in order to 

 expedite the building of honey -combs, it is a common practice 

 with bee-keepers in Germany to furnish hives with artificial 

 foundations for the cells ; these consist of sheets of wax, upon 

 which is impressed a series of pyramidal hollows ; in fact, the 

 counterpart of a comb built by the bees themselves, entirely 

 deprived of the cell- walls ; and it is from such a piece of comb 

 that the casts for the artificial foundations are obtained. A 

 piece of casting of this description I lay before you, and I par- 

 ticularly call your attention (addressing the members of the 

 Entomological Society of London) to the commencement of the 

 outer cells ; you will see, in some instances, a single plane of 

 the hexagonal cell commenced, in others two or three are in 

 progress ; here you have a ground-plan supplied, or, I may say. 

 the foundations of the habitations ready prepared, upon which 

 the laborers are to raise the walls, and you may see how admi- 

 rably they have done it. Instinct enables the bee to construct 

 hexagonal cells without teaching, and. we are told, in one un- 

 deviating manner. Surely the example before us exhibits an 

 amount of intelligence on the part of the bees in availing them- 



