no THE LIFE OF THE BEE 



formed one by one, and their first lines traced on what was 

 practically a bare table. It would seem incontestable, there- 

 fore, that the hexagon is not merely the result of mechanical 

 necessities, but that it has its true place in the plans, the 

 experience, the intellect and will of the bee. I may relate 

 here another curious instance of the workers' sagacity : the 

 cells they built on the tin had no other base than the metal 

 itself. The engineers of the corps had evidently decided 

 that the tin could adequately retain the honey ; and had 

 considered that, the substance being impermeable, they need 

 not waste the material they value so highly by covering the 

 metal with a layer of wax. But, a short time after, some 

 drops of honey having been placed in two of these cells, 

 the bees discovered, on tasting it, that the contact of the 

 metal had a deteriorating effect. Thereupon they reconsidered 

 the matter, and covered over with wax the entire surface of 

 the tin. 



6i 



Were it our desire to throw light upon all the secrets 

 of this geometric architecture, we should have more than 

 one curious question still to consider : as, for instance, the 

 shape of the first cells, which, being attached to the roof, 

 are modified in such a manner as to touch the roof at the 

 greatest possible number of points. 



The design of the principal thoroughfares is determined 

 by the parallehsm of the combs, but we must admire the 

 ingenious construction of alleys and gangways through and 

 around the comb, so skilfully contrived as to provide short 



