THE HIVE BEE. 389 



in the superior cells. But Nature has wisely pre- 

 vented this devastation ; for the head of the nymph, 

 and consequently of the fly, is always placed in a 

 downward direction. Its first instinctive move- 

 ments must therefore be in the same direction. 

 That the young flies may escape from their respec- 

 tive cells, the mother digs a hole at the bottom of 

 the long tube, which makes a communication be- 

 tween the undermost ceil and the open air. Some- 

 times a similar passage is made near the middle of 

 the tube. By this contrivance, as all the flies in- 

 stinctively endeavour to cut their way downwards, 

 they find an easy and convenient passage ; for they 

 have only to pierce the floor of their cells to make 

 their escape, and this they do with their teeth very 

 readily *. 



THE HIVE BEE|. 



In the formation of their combs, the present in- 

 sects seem to resolve a problem which would not be 

 a little puzzling to some geometricians, namelv, 

 " A quantity of wax being given, to make of it 

 " equal and similar cells of a determined capacity, 

 " but of the largest size in proportion to the quail* 

 * tity 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 



* Reaumur, torn. vi. 

 f SYNONYMS.— —Apis mellifica. Linn. Honey-bee, in vari- 

 ous parts of the country. The males are called Drones, nod the fe- 

 male the Queenbee. The neuters are called Workingbas. 



Cc 3 



