THE BEE FOUNDRESS. 207 



her mouth, then deposits the first portion of wax, in other 

 words lays the foundation of the waxen city ; how this con- 

 spicuous individual, then retiring, leaves a second bee to 

 imitate her example; then, in succession, a third and fourth, 

 and so on, till a block or wall of wax is formed at top of 

 the domed hive ; how, subsequently, the shapeless mass thus 

 accumulated is excavated and moulded into honey -comb 

 cells, those admirable solutions of that difficult geometric 

 problem which requires " A quantity of wax being given, to 

 form thereof similar and equal cells of a determinate capacity, 

 but of the largest size in proportion to the quantity of matter 

 employed, and disposed in such a manner as to occupy the 

 least possible space." These conditions are exactly fulfilled in 

 the six-sided cell of a bee, which is of a shape also the best 

 adapted to its body. In what manner the little mathemati- 

 cian is led to the end desired is matter of dispute, whether it 

 be the result of contriving mind, or consequent on the form 

 of the jaws and other fashioning instruments; though betwixt 

 these and the work produced there is no apparent correspond- 

 ence. In either case, however, we must equally agree with 

 Dr. Reid, that " Geometry is not in the bee, but in the Great 

 Geometrician who made the bee, and made all things in num- 

 ber, weight, and measure." 



As the work of comb-making proceeds, we are presented 

 with another wonderful example of the division of labour 

 amongst Bee artificers. When the wax- workers have produc- 



