CONSTRUCTION OF COMBS. 



another. In the formation of such a structure, chance can have 

 no share. The original mass of wax is augmented by the labour 

 of the wax-makers in the exact quantity which is necessary ; and 

 these wax-makers, who thus are constantly on the watch to 

 observe the progress of the comb, so as to keep the artificer-bees 

 constantly supplied with the necessary quantity of raw material, 

 are themselves utterly destitute of the art and science necessary to 

 construct the cells. 



86. The bees never commence the construction of two contiguous 

 and parallel combs together, for the obvious reason, as it should 

 seem, that to make one parallel to and at a given distance from 

 another, the actual formation of one must be first accomplished to 

 a certain point. They therefore begin by the middle comb ; and 

 when that has been constructed to a certain depth, measured from 

 the top of the hive, two other combs, parallel to it and at regu- 

 lated distances from it at either side, are commenced ; and when 

 these again are completed to a certain depth, two others outside 

 these are commenced, and so on. This order of proceeding is 

 attended with a further advantage by preventing the workers on 

 one comb from being inconveniently crowded or obtruded upon 

 by those of the adjacent combs. 



87. The labour of the bees is conducted in common, but not 

 always simultaneously. Every partial operation is commenced 

 by one individual bee, who is succeeded in her labours by others, 

 each appearing to act individually in a direction depending on the 

 condition in which she finds the work when it falls into her hands. 

 The whole band of wax-makers, for example, is in complete 

 inaction until one of them goes forth to lay the foundation of a 

 comb. Immediately the labours of this one are succeeded and 

 seconded by the others, and, when their part is done, an individual 

 nurse-bee goes to lay out the plan of the first cell, and is in like 

 manner succeeded continuously by others. 



88. "The diameter of the cells intended for the larvae of the 

 workers is alway 2 lines, and that of those meant for the 

 larvae of the males or drones 3i lines. The male-cells are gene- 

 rally in the middle of the combs, or in their sides ; rarely in 

 their upper part. They are never insulated, but form a corre- 

 sponding group on both sides the comb. When the bees form 

 male-cells below those of neuters, they construct many rows of 

 intermediate ones, the diameter of which augments progressively 

 till it attains that of a male-cell; and they observe the same 

 method when they revert from the male-cells to those of workers. 

 It appears to be the disposition of the queen which decides the 

 kind of cells that are to be made ; while she lays the eggs of 

 workers, no male-cells are constructed ; but when she is about to 



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