408 
BEE. 
said to form perpendicular plates or partitions, 
which extend from top to bottom of the cavity in 
which they build them, and from side to side. 
They always begin at the top or roof of the vault, 
in which they build, and work downwards; but 
if the upper part of the vault to which their combs 
are fixed is removed, and a dome is put over, they 
begin at the upper edge of the old comb, and work 
up into the new cavity at the top. They generally 
may be guided, as to the direction of their new 
plates of comb, by forming ridges at top, to which 
they begin to attach their comb. In a long hive, 
if these ridges are longitudinal, their plates of comb 
will be longitudinal ; if placed transverse, so will be 
the plates ; and if oblique, the plates of comb will 
be oblique. Each plate consists of a double set of 
cells, whose bottoms form the partition between 
each set. The plates themselves are not very regu- 
larly arranged, not forming a regular plane where 
they might have done so ; but are often adapted to 
the situation or shape of the cavity in which they 
are built. The bees do not endeavour to shape 
their cavity to their work as the wasps do, nor are 
the cells of equal depths, also fitting them to their 
situation ; but as the breeding cells must all be of 
a given depth, they reserve a sufficient number for 
breeding in, and they put the honey into the others, 
as also into the shallow ones. 
“ The attachment of the comb round the cavity 
is not continued, but interrupted, so as to form 
passages ; there are also passages in the middle of 
