Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/109

Rh below. Previous to availing themselves of the added room, the bees reduce the thickness of the edges of the combs. When new, the combs are of a remarkably pure white colour, but soon assume a yellowish hue, and when a year old, are of a deep brown. This discoloration is believed by many to arise from the vapours and heated air of the hive; but is attributed by Huber, erroneously we think, to some direct action on the part of the Bees, which are frequently seen rubbing the surface of the comb with their teeth and fore-feet. In the construction of the cells, the Bees adopt the hexagonal form, (Pl. VI. Fig. 1, b, b,) consisting of six equal sides, and begin their operations at the bottom, prolonging by degrees the pannels or sides. The bottom of a cell is composed of three rhombs, or plates of wax in the shape of lozenges or of card-diamonds, and disposed in such a manner as to form a hollow pyramid. "The apex of each pyramidal bottom, on one side of a comb, forms the angles of the bases of three cells on the opposite side, the three lozenges respectively concurring in the formation of the bases of the same cells." The whole structure is so delicately thin, that three or four of the sides, placed upon one another, have no more thickness than a leaf of common paper. But by the admirable disposition and arrangement of its parts, "each cell, separately weak, is strengthened by coincidence with others. The bottom of each cell rests upon three partitions or pannels of opposite cells, from which it receives a great accession of