THE BUILDING OF THE CITY 



Insect architecture is a theme upon which volumes 

 could be written, and a lifetime might be spent in 

 the study of it without fathoming a fraction of its 

 mysteries. 



Around this particular phase of the wonders of 

 nature, controversy has raged more fiercely perhaps 

 than any other, for in it the theologian of the old 

 school and the naturalist contemporaneous with 

 him, saw indisputable evidence of the marvellous 

 Guiding Hand. How, they asked, could such 

 things be explained on any other hypothesis than 

 direct teaching from God himself ? 



It always seems to me, and it may have occurred 

 to others in the same way, that if God taught these 

 insects exactly what to do in the direct and 

 personal manner these warriors stood up for, why 

 are not their results absolutely perfect ? We 

 look at the beautiful combs of the bee and think 

 them perfection, but, if critically examined, we 

 find it possible for improvements to be made on 

 them. For instance, I have often thought what 

 a convenience it would be if the brood cells were 



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