[ 57 * 1 
the Bees do truly , conftrudt their Cells of the beft 
Figure, and that not only nearly, but with Exadnefs; 
and that their Proceeding could not have been more 
perfect from the greateft Knowledge in Geometry. 
How they arrive at this, and how the wonderful 
Inftind in Animals is to be accounted for, is a 
Queftion of an higher Nature; but this is furely a 
remarkable Example of this Inftind, as it has fug- 
gefted a Problem that had been overlooked by Ma- 
thematicians, though they have treated largely on 
the Maxima and Minima and fuch an one, as has 
been thought to exceed the Compafs of the common 
Geometry. 
It may be worth while to add here, that if the 
Cells had been of any other Form than hexagonal, 
and the Bafes had (till been pyramidal, thefe mull 
have been terminated by Trapezia , and not by Rhom- 
bus' s, and therefore had been lefs regular, becaufe 
O A and AK would have been unequal : Nor could 
there have been room for fuch an advantageous or 
frugal a Conftrudion as that we have defcribed, becaufe 
the folid Content of the Cell would have increafed 
with the Right Line KE. The Cells, by being 
hexagonal, are the mold capacious, in proportion to 
their Surface, of any regular Figures that leave no 
Infterftices between them, and at the fame time 
admit of the moll perfed Bafes, Thus, by following 
what is beft in one refped, unforefeen Advantages 
are often obtained; and what is moft beautiful and 
regular, is alfo found to be moft lifeful and ex- 
cellent. 
II. A 
