( ^.59 ) 



XX. Notice concerning the Stimctui'e of the Cells 

 in the Comhs of Bees and IVasps. 



By Dr Barclay. 

 CRead 18th January 18 12 J 



Having inquired of several naturalists, whether 

 or not they knew any author who had mention- 

 ed, that the partitions between the ceils of the 

 honeycomb were double, and v/hether or not they 

 had e^er remarked such a structure themselves ; 

 and they having answered in the negative ; I now 

 take the . liberty of presenting to the Society 

 pieces of honeycomb, in which the young bees 

 had been reared, upon breaking which, it will be 

 clearly seen that the partitions between different 

 cells, at the sides and the base, are all double; or in 

 other words, that each cell is a distinct, separate, 

 and in some measure an independent structure, 

 agglutinated only to the neighbouring cells ; and 

 that when the agglutinating substance is destroy- 

 ed, each cell may be entirely separated from the 

 rest. 



