544 



ARCHITECTURE OF HIVE-BEE. 



regarded as truly marvellous, and as affording one of the most 

 remarkable examples of the operation of instinct. The very 

 small discrepancy, amounting to only two minutes of a degree 

 (or 1-1 0,800th part of the whole circle), was usually sup- 

 posed to result from a slight error in the observation of the 

 angle employed by the Bees ; until Lord Brougham, not being 

 satisfied with this explanation, applied himself to a fresh 

 mathematical investigation of the question ; and he showed 

 that, owing to the neglect of certain small quantities, the 

 result previously obtained was erroneous to the exact amount 

 of two minutes ; so that the Bees proved to be right, and the 

 Mathematician wrong. 1 



714. The ordinary cells of the comb are of two sizes ; one 

 for the larvee of the working-bees, and the other for those of 



Fig. 287. APIARY. 



the drones. Both of these may be used for layiiig-up a store 

 of food, either for themselves or their progeny ; but it is ob- 

 served that in the breeding season 

 the central portion only of each comb 

 is tenanted by the young Bees, this 

 being the part of the hive where 

 they will most constantly obtain the 

 warmth requisite for their develop- 



Fig. 288.-ROYAL CELLS. ment ^ 4n y The deposition of 



the eggs in these cells only, therefore, is another remark- 

 1 See h : s Supplement to New Edition of Paley's Natural Theology. 



