MANUAL OP THE APIARY. 



109 



by any system (Fig. 28, b), but simply by enlarging or con- 

 tracting. It usually takes about four rows to complete the 

 transformation, though the number of deformed cells varies 

 from two to eight. 



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

 interest. The base is a triangular pyramid (Fig. 28, e) whose 



Tig. 28. 



ShoTiibs, Pyramidal Basee, 

 cmd Gross-sections of Cells 

 illustrated. 



a-— Drone-cellfl. 

 b— Deformed cells. 



Honey-Comb. 



c— Worker-cells. 

 d (i— Queen-cells. 



three faces are rhombs, and whose apex forms the very centre 

 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 oppo- 



