THE HIVE BEES. 



524 THE HIYE BEE. 



proportion to the quantity of matter employed, and disposed in such 

 a manner as to occupy in the hive the least possible space." Every 

 part of this problem is completely executed by the Bees. By applying 

 hexagonal cells to the sides of each other, no void spaces are left 

 between them; and, though the same end may be accomplished by 

 other figures, yet such would necessarily require a greater quantity 

 of wax than these. Besides, 

 hexagonal cells are best fitted 

 to receive the cylindrical 

 bodies of the larvae. A comb 

 consists of two strata of cells, 

 applied to each other's ends. 

 This arrangement both saves 

 room in the hive, and gives 

 a double entry into the cells 

 of which the comb is composed. As a further saving of wax, and for 

 preventing void spaces, the bases of the cells in one stratum of a 

 comb, serve also for bases to the opposite stratum. In short, the 

 more minutely the construction is examined, the more will the 

 admiration of the observer be excited. The walls of the cells are 

 so extremely thin, that their mouths might be thought in danger of 

 suffering by the frequent, entering and issuing of the Bees. To prevent 

 this, the Bees make a kind of rim round the margin of each cell, and 

 this rim is three or four times thicker than the walls. 



It is difficult to perceive, even with the assistance of glass hives, 

 the manner in which Bees operate when constructing their cells. 

 They are so eager to afford mutual assistance, and for this purpose so 

 many of them crowd together, and are perpetually succeeding each 

 other, that their individual operations can seldom be distinctly ob- 

 served. It has, however, been discovered that their two jaws are the 

 only instruments they employ in modelling and polishing the wax. 

 With a little patience and attention, we perceive cells just began: 

 we likewise remark the quickness with which a Bee moves its teeth 

 against a small portion of the cell. This portion the animal, by re- 

 peated strokes on each side, smooths, renders compact, and reduces to 

 a proper thinness. While some individuals of the hive are lengthen- 

 ing their hexagonal tubes, others are laying the foundation of new 

 ones. In certain circumstances, when extremely hurried, they do not 

 complete their new cells, but leave them imperfect until they have 

 begun a number sufficient for their present exigencies When a Bee 

 puts its head a little way into a cell, we easily perceive it, with the 

 points of its teeth, scraping the walls, in order to detach such useless 

 and irregular fragments, as may have been left in the work. Of these 

 fragments the Bee forms a ball, about the size of a pin's head. It 

 issues from the cell, and carries this wax to another part of the work, 

 where it is wanted : it no sooner leaves the cell than it is succeeded 

 by another Bee, which performs a similar office: and in this manner 

 the work is successively carried on, till the cell is completely polished. 



Their mode of working, and the disposition and division of their 

 labor, when put into an empty hive, are very wonderful. They 



