ARTIFICIAL AIDS TO COMB-BUILDING. 
219 
failure on the part of the bees is of the highest 
service, for could the hexagons of the topmost row 
be constructed complete, the attachment of the re- 
sulting comb would be of the most fragile description, 
since the sides {s, s) would, from their position, be 
little able to resist strain. In effect, these sides are 
absolutely ignored, and cells of a special form, really 
irregular pentagons, produced (B), which have four 
sides of wax, closed above by the top bar forming a 
fifth. These cells, called by Huber, under a mis- 
apprehension, cells of the first row (“ /e preinier 
Fig. 65.— Attachment Cells (Twice Natural Size). 
A, Comb Foundation— Top Bar. B, Foundation, partly drawn out. 
rang'"), but which I purpose, for a reason stated 
hereafter, denominating “attachment cells,” give, by 
their extended perpendicular sides, the strongest 
possible fixing, since the strain is absolutely in the 
direction of their length, while the inability of the 
bee to reach into a rectangular corner necessitates 
a thickening of the upper extremity of the wall, 
where it joins the top bar, thus adding to the solidity 
of the structure. 
The modification of the attachment cell is not, 
however, confined to the cell wall, the rhombs being 
