STRUCTURE OF THE COMB. 



shaped planes, one belonging to each of the three bases, a a a, 

 and that this, instead of being hollow en the side presented to 



Fig. 22. 



Fig. 23. Fig. 24. 



Fig. 25. 



the eye, will be hollow on the opposite side, which is turned from 

 the eye, and will there form an angular cavity precisely similar 

 and equal to the cavities a a a, which are turned towards the eye. 

 Now this cavity, which is thus turned to the opposite side, is the 

 base of one of the cells on the other side of the comb. In fig. 23 

 we have presented a view of the combination as it would be seen 

 on the other side. In this case, the angular cavity darkly shaded 

 in the middle of the figure, is the angular projection, 6, in fig. 22, 

 seen on the other side; and the three angular projections which 

 surround it, jutting forward towards the eye, are the three angular 

 bases, a a a, fig. 22, seen on the other side. 



59. A perspective view of a single hexagonal tube or cell, with 

 its pyramidal base, is shown in fig. 24. 



The manner in which the hexagonal cells are united base to 

 base to form the comb, is shown in perspective in fig. 25, where a 

 is the open mouth of the tube, and b c the lozenge-shaped planes, 

 forming the bases of the opposite tubes. The same is shown in 

 section in fig. 26. 



Fig. 26. 



Fig. 27. 



Fig. 28. 



60. Several hexagonal cells are shown in their natural juxta- 

 position, placed base to base, as they form the comb, in fig. 27, 

 and a perspective view of their pyramidal bases is given in fig. 28. 



Nothing can be more surprising than this production of such an 

 insect, when regarded as a piece of scientific engineering. The 

 substance which comprises it being one secreted by the bees in 

 limited quantity, it was of the greatest importance in its use, that 

 a material so scarce should be applied so as to produce the 

 greatest possible result, with the smallest possible quantity of the 

 material. The problem, therefore, which the bee had to solve 



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