lot 
ARCHITECTURE OF BEES. 
Its confined limits prevented any considerable numbei 
of bees from working at the foundation of the comb 
above. A large portion of them, therefore, began 
a comb, or rather two, (PI. XII. Fig. 2, a, i,) on 
the rod which crosses the hive in the middle ; and 
thus two combs were being constructed at the same 
time, and which ultimately became one. It ap- 
peared, however, that there was still a want of room, 
and of employment for these willing and industrious 
labourers ; for to our surprise a portion of them 
began a comb (</, e,) on the upper side of the cross 
rod, and, contrary to their natural mode of proceed- 
ing, worked upwards ; so that in a short period, the 
upper comb and the central piece met, and the whole 
formed ultimately one solid square. The surface of 
a new comb is not quite flat, but lenticular, that is, 
its thickness decreases towards the edges, and, conse- 
quently, the latest made cells are shorter or shallower 
than the others. So long as the comb has not 
reached its utmost limits, this shape is preserved ; 
but when the bees have no more room for its en- 
largement, they make all the cells of equal depth, 
and thus it obtains two flat and straight surfaces, 
which it will continue to retain, unless in certain 
circumstances. Should it be broken by any means, 
the edges of what remains must be reduced again to 
their lenticular shape before the bees can repair the 
structure, and prolong it to its former dimensions.* 
This happens also when the hive is enlarged, by 
giving it what is called in Scotland an eek, or addition 
* Huber. 372. 
