93 



COMBS, AND THE FORM OF CELLS. 



First, then, we can easily understand that that form 

 and make of cell will be best which economises to 

 the greatest degree space, material, time and labour 

 — all of which are very valuable to the bees — and also 

 provides for the combs being the strongest possible, 

 consistent with other requirements. They must also, 

 at the same time, hold as much honey as possible, and 

 be fitted, when required, for the rearing of the young 

 bees. Here are a number of conditions to be fulfilled ; 

 and it is most interesting to see how marvellously the 

 bees are led by their instinct to accomplish the task, 

 and to get over the difficulties of the problem. 



And first we will notice the hexagonal shape of 

 the cell. Why is this the 

 best ? Why should it not 

 be round ? why not a 

 square .■' why not an equi- 

 lateral triangle ? 



Well, if the cells were 

 round it would be better 

 in one way, and, if the bees 

 made single cells, standing 

 out by themselves, I have 

 no doubt they would make 

 them round (some wild bees 

 do so), for a round vessel can contain a greater quantity 

 of fluid,in proportion to the extent of wall and material, 

 than any other shape. If you were to take, for in- 

 stance, the material of which a circular pint measure 

 is made, you could not make it up into any other 

 shape, having sides of the same thickness as before, 

 so as to hold the pint as at first. 



Circles. 



