The Life of the Bee 
foundresses proceed to add a second block 
of wax to the roof; and so in gradation a 
third and a fourth. These blocks follow 
each other at regular intervals so nicely 
calculated that when, at a much later 
period, the comb shall be fully developed, 
there will be ample space for the bees to 
move between its parallel walls. 
Their plan must therefore embrace the 
final thickness of every comb, which will 
be from eighty-eight to ninety-two hun- 
dredths of an inch, and at the same time 
the width of the avenues between, which 
must be about half an inch, or in other 
words twice the height of a bee, since 
there must be room to pass back to back 
between the combs. 
The bees, however, are not infallible, 
nor does their certainty appear mechanical. 
They will commit grave errors at times, 
when circumstances present unusual diffi- 
culty. They will often leave too much 
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