212 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 



building, an attempt is still being made to show 

 that it is entirely due to the working of certain 

 natural laws, and is independent of any intelligence 

 or volition which the bees are supposed to exercise. 

 We are told that the cells are always begun in a 

 circular form, but that they afterwards assume the 

 hexagon shape quite automatically, in obedience 

 to the laws of mutual interference and pressure. 

 As a proof of this, it is pointed out that the outside 

 cells of the comb, not being subject to these laws, 

 are usually more or less rounded. 



The pressure- theory is hardly worth serious con- 

 sideration, as it is obvious that the growth of a 

 honey-comb is perfectly free and untrammelled in 

 every way. If the bee makes her comb-cells with 

 six sides and a pyramidal base unthinkingly, and 

 under the yoke of imperious obligation, it is cer- 

 tainly not because the cells force this shape upon 

 one another, like Buffon's peas in a bottle. 



And if we believe that the bee works blindly 

 under the law of mutual interference, any close 

 examination of the results of her work must bring 

 us to the conviction that we are only putting aside 

 one marvel for something more wonderful still. 

 For then we see a natural law taking on a very 

 unnatural quality — that of intelligent adaptation to 

 circumstances. The comb, intended for use in the 

 hive-nursery, is made in two sizes. That used for 

 cradling the worker-brood has cells measuring^ inch 

 across, and a fraction less than ^ inch deep, while 



