Dsscri ption of Comb-Cells. 155 



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 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. Thus we understand why bees take so kindly to 

 foundation. To work this out is not contrai'y to their 

 instincts, and gives them a lift. Huber first observed the 

 process of comb-building, noticing the bees abstract the 

 ^vax-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. 53, 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 53, a) are a little more than one-fourth of an inch, 

 or, according to Reaumur, three and one-third lines. But 

 this distinguished author was quite wrong when he said: 

 " These are the invariable dimensions of all cells that ever 

 were or ever will be made." A recent English author, 

 after stating the diameter of cells adds: "The statement 

 many times made that twenty-five and sixteen of these, 

 respectively, cover a square inch, is erroneous, as they are 

 not square." He says there are 28 13-15 and 18 178-375. 

 After many counts I conclude that he should have used 

 his eyes rather than his mathematics. I find the worker- 

 cells per square inch vary from 25 to 29, and the drone- 



