182 THE eee-kbeper's guide ; 



writer criticises L,angstroth's representation of these irregular 

 cells, and adds that the angles can never be less than 100 

 degrees. This is far from the truth, as I have found many 

 cells where an angle was considerably less than this. Mr. 

 Cowan, in his excellent " Honey-Bee," describes and figures 

 cells where the angle is even acute. 



The structure of each cell is quite complex, yet full of 

 interest. The base is a triangular pyramid (Fig. 78, e), whose 

 three faces are rhombs (Mr. Cowan has found and photo- 

 graphed cells with four faces), and whose apex forms the very 

 center of the floor of the cell. From the six free or non- 

 adjacent edges of the three rhombs extend the lateral walls or 

 faces of the cell. The apex of this basal pyramid is a 

 point where the contiguous faces of the three cells on the 

 opposite side meet, and form the angles of the bases of three 

 cells on the opposite side of the comb. Thus the base of each 

 cell forms one-third of the base of three opposite cells. One 

 side thus braces the other, and adds much to the strength of 

 the comb. Each cell, then, is in the form of a hexagonal 

 prism, terminating in a flattened triangular pyramid. 



The bees usually build several combs at . once, and carry 

 forward several cells on each side of each comb, constantly 

 adding to the number, by additions to the edge. The bees, in 

 constructing comb, make the base or so-called mid-rib, the 

 "fish-bone " in honey where foundation is used, thick at first, 

 and thin this as they add to the cells in lengthening them. 

 Prof. C. P. Gillette demonstrated this by coloring foundation 

 black. The color reached nearly to the end of the cell, and 

 extended an inch below the foundation. Thus we understand 

 why bees take so kindly to foundation. To work this out is 

 not contrary to their instincts, and gives them a lift. Huber 

 first observed the process of comb-building, noticing the bees 

 abstract the wax-scales, carry them to the mouth, add the 

 frothy saliva, and then knead and draw out the yellow ribbons 

 which were fastened to the top of the hive, or added to the 

 comb already commenced. 



The diameter of the worker-cells (Fig. 78, c) averages little 

 more than one-fifth of an inch — Reaumur says two and three- 

 fifths lines, or twelfths of an inch — while the drone-cells (Fig. 



