28 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



''The cells themselves, or prisms, which result from 

 the reunion and meeting of the sides, are next con- 

 structed. These are engrafted on the borders of the 

 cavities hollowed in the mass ; the Bees begin them by 

 making the contour of the bottoms, which at first is 

 unequal, of equal height; thus all the margins of the cells 

 offer an uniformly level surface from their first origin, and 

 until they have acquired their proper length. The sides 

 are heightened in an order analogous to that which the 

 insects follow in finishing the bottoms of the cells ; and 

 the length of these tubes is so perfectly proportioned 

 that there is no observable inequality between them. 

 It is to be remarked that though the general form of the 

 cells is hexagonal, that of those first begun is pentagonal, 

 the side next the top of the hive, and by which the comb 

 is attached, being much broader than the rest, whence 

 the comb is more strongly united to the hive, than if 

 these cells were of the ordinary shape. It, of course, 

 follows that- the base of these cells, instead of being 

 formed like those of the hexagonal cells, of three rhom- 

 boids, consist of one rhomboid and two trapeziums. 



" The form of a new comb is lenticular, its thickness 

 always diminishing towards the edges. This gradation 

 is constantly observable, whilst it keeps enlarging in 

 circumference; but as soon as the Bees get sufficient 

 space to lengthen it, it begins to lose this form and to 

 assume parallel surfaces ; it has then received the shape 

 which it will always preserve. 



" The Bees appear to give the proper forms to the 

 bottoms of the cells, by means of their antennae, which 

 extraordinary organs they seem to employ as directors, 

 by which their other instruments are instructed to ex- 

 ecute a very complete work. They do not remove a 

 single particle of wax until the antennae have explored 



