HABITATIONS OF INSECTS. ZiT 
another takes its place, deepening the cavity, heightening its lateral mar 
gins by heaping up the wax to right and left by means of its teeth and fore- 
feet, and giving them a more upright form, More than twenty bees suc- 
cessively employ themselves in this work. When arrived at a certain 
point, other bees begin on the yet untouched and opposite side of the 
mass, and, commencing the bottom of éwo cells, are in turn relieved by 
others. While still engaged in this labour, the wax-makers return and 
add to the mass, augmenting its extent every way, the nurse-bees again 
continuing their operations. After having worked the bottoms of the cells 
of the first row into their proper forms, they polish them and give them 
their finish, while others begin the outline of a new series. 
The cells themselves, or prisms, which result from the reunion and 
meeting of the sides, are next constructed. These are engrafted on the 
borders of the cavities hollowed in the mass. The bees begin them by 
making the contour of the bottoms, which at first is unequal, of equal 
height; thus all the margins of the cells offer an uniformly level surface 
from their first origin, and until they haye acquired their proper length. 
The sides are heightened in an order analogous to that which the insects, 
follow in finishing the bottoms of the cells ; and the length of these tubes 
is so perfectly proportioned that there is no observable inequality between 
them. It is to be remarked, that though the general form of the cells is 
hexagonal, that of those first begun is pentagonal, the side next the top of 
the hive, and by which the comb is attached, being much broader than the 
rest; whence the comb is more strongly united to the hive than if these 
cells were of the ordinary shape. It of course follows that the base of 
these cells, instead of being formed, like those of the hexagonal cells, of 
three rhomboids, consist of one rhomboid and two trapeziums. 
The form of a new comb is lenticular, its thickness always diminishing 
towards the edges. This gradation is constantly observable whilst it keeps 
enlarging in circumference; but as soon as the bees get sufficient space to 
lengthen it, it begins to lose this form, and to assume parallel surfaces : it 
has then received the shape which it will always preserve. 
The bees appear to give the proper formsto the bottoms of the cells by 
means of their antenna, which extraordinary organs they seem to employ 
as directors by which their other instruments are instructed to execute a 
very complex work. They do not remove a single particle of wax until the 
antenne have explored the surface that is to be sculptured. By the use of 
these organs, which are so flexible and so readily applied to all parts, how- 
ever delicate, that they can perform the functions of compasses in measur 
Ing very minute objects, they can work in the dark, and raise those wonder- 
ful combs the first production of insects. 
Every part of the work appears a natural consequence of that which 
precedes it, so that chance has no share in the admirable results witnessed, 
The bees cannot depart from their prescribed route, except in consequence 
of particular circumstances which alter the basis of their labour. The ori- 
ginal mass of wax is never augmented but by an uniform quantity ; and, 
What is most astonishing, this augmentation is made by the wax-makers 
who are the depositaries of the primary matter, and possess not the art of 
sculpturing the cells. 
The bees never begin two masses for combs at the same time; but 
Scarcely are some rows of cells constructed in the first, when two other 
Masses, one on each side of it, are established at equal distances from it 
tT 3 
