How Animals Work. 



inspection will also show that the cells are not being 

 built end to end in line, but that each cell base on one 

 side of the comb covers part of three cell bases on the 

 other. Should we, with the help of a fine needle, per- 

 forate the three diamonds which form the triangular 

 base of a single cell, and then turn over and examine 

 the comb on the opposite side, we shall see that each 

 hole enters a separate cell. By this arrangement the 

 pyramidal bases on each side of the comb engage alter- 

 nately like the teeth of a spring trap, and a considerable 

 saving in total width of the comb is attained ; while 

 the faces of the pyramids are so contrived that each 

 of them helps to close two cells. Moreover, by this 

 arrangement the apex and three ribs of each pyramidal 

 cell base form foundation lines for the cell walls on 

 the other side of the comb, so that not only do all cell 

 walls abut on an arch, but every cell base is strength- 

 ened throughout by a triple girdering ; and in this way 

 the amount of wax required for the building of the 

 comb can be everywhere reduced to an absolute mini- 

 mum. Indeed, this piece of comb, built by the un- 

 ceasing labours of the worker bees from material secreted 

 by their bodies, is one of the most wonderful and per- 

 fect examples of expert craftsmanship to be seen the 

 whole world over. 



