230 INSTINCT. Chap. VII. 



this by gnawing away the convex side ; and I suspect 

 that the bees in such cases stand in the opposed cells 

 and push and bend the ductile and warm wax (which 

 as I have tried is easily done) into its proper interme- 

 diate plane, and thus flatten it. 



From the experiment of the ridge of vermilion wax, 

 we can clearly see that if the bees were to build for 

 themselves a thin wall of wax, they could make their 

 cells of the proper shape, by standing at the proper dis- 

 tance from each other, by excavating at the same rate, 

 and by endeavouring to make equal spherical hollows, 

 but never allowing the spheres to break into each 

 other. Now bees, as may be clearly seen by examining 

 the edge of a growing comb, do make a rough, circum- 

 ferential wall or rim all round the comb ; and they 

 gnaw into this from the opposite sides, always working 

 circularly as they deepen each cell. They do not make 

 the whole three-sided pyramidal base of any one cell at 

 the same time, but only the one rhombic plate which 

 stands on the extreme growing margin, or the two plates, 

 as the case may be ; and they never complete the upper 

 edges of the rhombic plates, until the hexagonal walla 

 are commenced. Some of these statements differ from 

 those made by the justly celebrated elder Huber, 

 but I am convinced of their accuracy ; and if I had 

 space, I could show that they are conformable with my 

 theory. 



Huber's statement that the veiy first cell is excavated 

 out of a little parallel-sided wall of wax, is not, as far as 

 I have seen, strictly correct ; the first commencement 

 having always been a little hood of wax ; but I will 

 not here enter on these details. We see how important 

 a part excavation plays in the construction of the cells ; 

 but it would be a great error to suppose that the bees 

 cannot build up a rough wall of wax in the proper 



