feem occupied only with miniftring to those that po fh. They are always at hand to furnish them with honey, or other fluid fubftances that are neceffary both for their work and their fuftenance.

Each comb is compofed of two rows of cells laid close to each other, the bafe of each row being common. The thickness is fomething less than an inch; the depth of each cell therefore will be about five lines. I have often obferved that a comb'a foot in length had from fixty to fixty-fix cells. According to this proportion, the width of each cell will be a little more than two lines, which is nearly a third of its depth this measure is that of almost all the cells in the hive; there is but a fmall number larger : the width of thefe is fomewhat more than three lines, and the depth a little more than fix. These large cells are deftined to contain the larva of the drones, which we fhall afterwards mention. We find befides in different places of the hive, three or four cells larger than the reft, and of a different figure. The mouth of thefe is in the underfide; they are attached to the extremities of the comb, and have the figure of a fpheroid. They are fuppofed to be the habitation of the queens; but I confefs I have never been able to ascertain this point.

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The bafe of the combs is at fuch a diftance from one another that when the cells are finished there is no more space between two combs, than is fufficient to allow two bees to pass back to back. The combs are not continued quite from top to bottom, but are often interrupted; there are befides certain openings at different distances which allow a communication from one to another, both eafier and fhorter.

After having explained the manner in which Bees conftruct their cells, I find it neceffary to be more

particular

particular with regard to their figure. The bafe of each cell is formed of three rhombs, as we have already faid, almoft always equal. According to the measurement I have made of them, each of the obtufe angles, is 10 degrees, and each of the two acute ones is confequently 70. Thefe three rhombs are inclined to one another, and are joined by the fides which form one of the obtufe angles. The mutual inclination of these rhombs makes a folid angle, which on account of the general uniform equality of the thombs, is fituated in the axis or centre of the cell. The fix other fides of the fame rhombs, befides three obtufe angles form likewife three other angles by the reciprocal inclination, which forms their junction at the two acute angles. These fix equal fides of the three rhombs are fo n any bafes on which the bees elevate the walls which form the fix fides of each cell. Each of these walls is a trapezium which has one acute angle of 70 degrees and an obtufe one of an hundred and ten; the two angles of the trapezium which are at the mouth of the cell are right angles: We muft obferve here that the acute angle of the tra pezium is equal to the acute angle of the rhomb at the base, and the obtufe angle of the fame rhomb is equal to the obtufe angle of the trapezium. The fix trapeziums which form the fix fides of a cell join one another at equal fides, and are connected to the rhombs of the bafe; thus the obtufe angles of the rhombs are contiguous to the obtufe angles of the trapeziums, and the acute angles of thefe laft to the acute angles. of the former. Such is the ftructure of each cell.

I come now to the manner in which the two ranges of cells conftituting the comb are formed, and the way in which the cells are joined together. Imagine to yourfelf in the first place, feveral other bafes fimilar to thofe we have defcribed; fuppofe farther, thefe bafes to be applied to one another in fuch

nanner that the fimilar angles of the one fhall correfpond to the similar angles of the other, and fhall join together exactly. In fuch a cafe two of these bases being joined to a third, three rhombs of these three different bases will form the bottom of a new cell fimilar to the first, with this only difference, that the concavity of the folid angle is turned to the other fide of the comb, where there is another range of cells oppofite to the firft. By the junction of fix bafes with a feventh, there will be formed three new bafes, which will have the concavity of the folid angle alfo turned in a contrary direction to that of the feven bafes. Laftly the twelve new bafes united to the eight preceeding ones form nine others with the concavity of their angle oppofite to that of the twelve. By this wonderful ftructure are formed the two ranges of combs. Thus, there are three lines of rhombs on three different planes, fo well executed that several thoufands of rhombs of the fame line all reft on the fame plane. Is it not truly furprising then, that fo many thousands of animals, aided by natural inftinct alone, fhould agree together in forming a work fo difficult, with fo much order and regularity?

Bees do not give their cells fo determinate a Structure without defign. I have faid that each base is formed of three rhombs, and that on each fide of these rhombs there is a wall which ferves as a fide to the oppofite cell. Thofe three walls, befides ferving as a fide to part of a cell, likewife ferve for a fupport to the bafe of the oppofite cell, and lupply the defect arifing from the great tenuity of the work. Moreover, the concavity of the folid angle which is in the middle of the base, serves by an admirable effect of divine providence to collect into a small space the particles of honey, which the Bees daily furnish to the little larvæ, as I fhall afterwards fhew. If the bottom had not been difpofed in this manner, the honey which is at

first fluid, would have run out, and the embrio would have perished for want. It is not the figure of the bottom only which is favourable, many advantages arise from the number of angles in the rhombs. On the fize of them depends that of the angles of the trapeziums which form the fix fides of the cell, Now, as the acute angles of the rhombs are 70°. 32′ and the obtuse ones 109° 28' thofe of the trapeziums contiguous to them, must be of the fame degrees respectively. Befides, by this number of angles in the rhombs, the folid angle of the bafe is equal to each of the three solid angles made by the obtufe angle of the rhomb, with the two obtufe ones of the Trapezius; from this greatnefs of the angles, therefore, there refults not only a greater fimplicity in the work and greater facility for the Bees, who thus make use of only two forts of angles, but likewife greater fymmetry in the difpofition and figure of the cell.

The figure which Bees give to their cells is a regular hexagon. Pappus, a celebrated Geometrician of the fecond century, has obferved that it looked as if these little animals had a particular acquaintance with geometry, when they gave fuch juft proportions to their cells. Nor could they have chofen a figure which would have afforded them a greater number of cells in the space contained in their hive. The property of this figure is that many united together completely fill up a fpace round a certain point without leaving any void whatever. The fame property belongs to two other figures, to wit, the equilateral triangle and the fquare. But neither of these have the capacity of the hexagon. It is therefore with great wifdom, continues the fame.Geometrician, that Bees make ufe of that in preference to every other figure. For if the fame quantity of matter is employed in the conftruction of a triangle, a fquare, and a hexagon, this laft will contain more honey than the others.

The

The fecond example of induftry and fagacity in infects fhall be taken from wafps, thefe animals conftruct their neft, either in the earth, or fufpend it from fome new building: They do not begin their fabric like Bees at the top; but like ordinary architects they lay their foundation, and raise the fuperftructure in the common way. The nefts of all the fpecies are not of the fame fhape. Some are of the figure of an oblong, fome of an oblate fpheroid: fome are conical, with the apex irregular and truncated, fomething like that of certain fea fhells, and fome resemble a bottle with a long neck. The cells in the greater number of wafp-nefts are hexagonal, and furrounded externally with a white integument of a woody fubftance refembling the dry pods of kidney-beans. The upper part of this integument ferves as a roof to the whole edifice; it fecures the neft from humidity, which in running along it, might incommode the wafps. The fides ferve as walls to defend the inhabitants from injury; and the under part is as it were a bafe to the whole fabric; if the integument is removed, the infide difcovers fix ftories at equal distances from one another. But leaft one fhould fall and demolish thofe below it, each story is fupported by feveral columns which are broad at the bafe, and grow broader again at the top, fo as to form a kind of arch.

The fame elegance is not lefs remarkable in the ftructure of those nefts which are fhaped like a bottle with a long neck. The external cover is thin, like tranfparent vellum. The learned Aldrovandus, having cut one of these nefts longitudinally found it defended with three other integuments which like the first, were of the fhape of a bottle, but without the neck. In the centre of all these covers, he found feven hexagonal cells.

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