APIS. 



oblique. Each plate consists of a double 

 set of cells, whose bottoms form the par- 

 tition between each set. The plates 

 themselves are not very regularly ar- 

 ranged, not forming a regular plane where 

 they might have done so ; but are often 

 adapted to the situation or shape of the 

 cavity in which they are built. The bees 

 do not endeavour to shape their cavity to 

 their work, as the wasps do, nor are the 

 cells of equal depths, also fitting them to 

 their situation ; but as the breeding cells 

 must all be of a given depth, they reserve 

 a sufficient number for breeding in, and 

 they put the honey into the others, as also 

 into the shallow ones. The attachment 

 of the comb round the cavity is not con- 

 tinued, but interrupted so as to form pas- 

 sages ; there are also passages in the mid- 

 dle of the plates, especially if there be a 

 cross stick to support the comb ; these 

 allow of bees to go across ffom plate to 

 plate. The substance which they use for 

 attaching their combs to surrounding 

 parts is not the same as the common wax ; 

 it is softer and tougher, a good deal like 

 the substance with which they cover in 

 their crysalis, or the humble-bee sur- 

 rounds her eggs. It is probably a mix- 

 ture of wax with farina. The cells are 

 placed nearly horizontally, but not exact- 

 ly so ; the mouth raised a little, which 

 probably may be to retain the honey the 

 better; however, this rule is not strictly 

 observed, for often they are horizontal, 

 and towards the lower edge of a plane of 

 comb they are often declining. The first 

 combs that a hive forms are the smallest, 

 and much neater than the last or lower- 

 most. Their sides or partitions, between 

 cell and cell, are much thinner, and tlje 

 hexagon is much more perfect. The wax 

 is purer, being probably little else but 

 wax, and it is more brittle. The lower 

 combs are considerably larger, and con- 

 tain much more wax,or perhaps, more pro- 

 perly, more materials ; and the cells are at 

 such distances as to allow them to lie of a 

 round figure : the wax is softer, and there 

 is something mixed with it. I have observ- 

 ed that the cells are not all of equal size, 

 some being a degree larger than the 

 others; and that the small are the first 

 formed, and of course at the upper part, 

 where the bees begin, and the larger are 

 nearer the lower part of the comb, or 

 last made : however, in hives of particu- 

 lar construction, where the bees may be- 

 gin to work at one end, and can work both 

 down and towards the other end, we of- 

 ten find the larger cells both on the lower 

 part of the combs, and also at the oppo- 



site end. These are formed for the males 

 to be bred in ; and in the hornets and 

 wasps combs there are larger cells, for 

 the queens to be bred in : these are also 

 formed in the lower tier, and the last 

 formed. 



" The first comb made in a hive is all of 

 one colour, viz. almost white ; but is not 

 so white towards the end of the season, 

 having then more of a yellow cast. 



" There is a cell which is called the 

 royal cell, often three or four of them, 

 sometimes more ; I have seen eleven, and 

 even thirteen, in the same hive; commonly 

 they are placed on the edge of one or 

 more of the combs, but often on the side 

 of a comb ; however, not in the centre 

 along with the other cells, like a large 

 one placed among the others, but often 

 against the mouths of the cells, and pro- 

 jecting out beyond the common surface 

 of the comb ; but most of them are form- 

 ed from the edge of the comb, which ter- 

 minates in one of these cells. The royal 

 cell is much wider than the others, but 

 seldom so deep : its mouth is round, and 

 appears to be the largest half of an oval 

 in depth, and is declining downwards, 

 instead of being horizontal or lateral. 

 The materials of which it is composed 

 are softer than common wax, rather like 

 the last mentioned, or those of which the 

 lower edge of the plate of comb is made, 

 or with which the bees cover the crysalis : 

 they have very little wax in their compo- 

 sition, not one third; the rest I conceive to 

 be farina. 



" The comb seems at first to be formed 

 for propagation, and the reception of ho- 

 ney to be only a secondary use ; for if the 

 bees lose their queen, they make no 

 combs ; and the wasp, hornet, &c. make 

 combs, although they collect no honey ; 

 and the humble-bee collects the honey, 

 and deposits it in cells she never made. 



" I shall not consider the bee as an ex- 

 cellent mathematician, capable of making 

 exact forms, and having reasoned upon 

 the best shape of the cell for capacity, so 

 that the greatest number might be put 

 into the smallest space (for the hornet and 

 the wasp are much more correct, although 

 not seemingly under the same necessity, 

 as they collect nothing to occupy their 

 cells) ; because, although the bee is pretty 

 perfect in these respects, yet it is very 

 incorrect in others, in the formation of 

 the comb ; nor shall I consider these ani- 

 mals as forming combs of certain shape 

 and size, from mere mechanical necessity, 

 as from working round themselves ; for 

 such a mould would not form cells of dif- 





