l68 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO IZQI. 



necessity, as they collect nothing to occupy their cells; because, though the bee 

 is pretty perfect in these respects, yet it is very incorrect in others, in the forma- 

 tion of the comb: nor shall I consider these animals as forming comb of certain 

 shape and size from mere mechanical necessity, as from working round them- 

 selves; for such a mould would not form cells of different sizes, much less could 

 wasps be guided by the same principle, as their cells are of very different sizes, 

 and the first by much too small for the queen wasp to have worked round her- 

 self: but I shall consider the whole as an instinctive principle, in which the 

 animal has no power of variation, or choice, but such as arises from what may 

 be called external necessity. The cell has in common 6 sides, but this is most 

 correct in those first formed; and their bottom is commonly composed of those 

 sides, or planes, two of the sides making one; and they generally fall in between 

 the bottoms of 3 cells of the opposite side ; but this is not regular, it is only to 

 be found where there is no external interruption. 



I have already observed that the last formed cells in the season are not so well 

 made: that their partitions are thicker, and more of a yellow colour: this arises, 

 I imagine, from the wax being less pure, having more alloy in it; and there- 

 fore, not being so strong, more of it is required. The bees would appear to 

 reserve many of their cells for honey, and those are mostly at the upper part. 

 In old hives, of several years standing, I have found the upper part of the comb 

 free from the consequences of having bred, such as the silk lining, and the 

 excrement of the maggots at the bottom ; while the lower part, for probably 

 more than one-half of the plane of cells, showed strong marks of having con- 

 tained many broods of young bees. In such the lining of silk is thick at the 

 sides, composed of many laminae ; and in many the bottom is half filled up with 

 excrement ; and I observed at such parts, the comb was thickest at its mouth, 

 which inclines me to think that when a cell becomes shallow, by the bottom 

 being in some degree filled up, the bees then add to its mouth. Such also they 

 seem to reserve principally for the bee-bread ; so that to lay up a greater store of 

 honey is an object to them. 



Of the laying of eggs. — As soon as a few combs are formed, the female bee 

 begins laying of eggs. As far as I have been able to observe, the queen is 

 the only bee that propagates, though it is asserted that the labourers do. Her 

 first eggs in the season are those which produce labourers ; then the males, and 

 probably the queen ; this is the progress in the wasp, hornet, humble bee, &c. 

 However, it is asserted by Riem, that when a hive is deprived of a queen, 

 labourers lay eggs ; also, that at this time, some honey and farina are brought 

 in, as store for a wet day. The eggs are laid at the bottom of the cell, and we 

 find them there before the cells are half completed, so that propagation begins 

 early, and goes on along with the formation of the other cells. The egg is 



