Comparison with 1866 |
|
not here enter on these
details. We see how important a part excavation plays in the construction of the cells; but it would be a great error to suppose that the bees cannot build up a rough wall of wax in the proper position— that is, along the plane of intersection between two adjoining spheres. I have several specimens
show- ing show- ing 1866 | showing 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 |
clearly that they can do this. Even in the rude circumferential rim or wall of wax round a growing comb, flexures may sometimes be observed, corresponding in position to the planes of the rhombic basal plates of future cells. But the rough wall of wax has in every case to be finished off, by being largely gnawed away on both sides. The manner in which the bees build is curious; they always make the first rough wall from ten to twenty times thicker than the excessively thin finished wall of the cell, which will ultimately be left. We shall understand how they work, by supposing masons first to pile up a broad ridge of cement, and then to begin cutting it away equally on both sides near the ground, till a smooth, very thin wall is left in the middle; the masons always piling up the cut-away cement, and adding fresh
cement, cement, 1859 1860 1861 1866 | cement 1869 1872 |
on the summit of the ridge. We shall thus have a thin wall steadily growing
upward; upward; 1859 1860 1861 1866 | upward 1869 1872 |
but always crowned by a gigantic coping. From all the cells, both those just commenced and those completed, being thus crowned by a strong coping of wax, the bees can cluster and crawl over the comb without injuring the delicate hexagonal walls,
which are only about one four-hundredth of an inch in thickness; the plates of the pyramidal basis being about twice as thick.
These walls, as Professor Miller has kindly ascertained for me, vary greatly in thickness; being, on an average of twelve measurements made near the border of the comb, 1/353 of an inch in thickness; whereas the basal rhomboidal plates are thicker
nearly in the proportion of three to two, having a mean thickness, from twenty-one measurements, of 1/229 of an inch. By this
singular manner of building,
|
not here enter on
these these 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | these 1872 |
details. We see how important a part excavation plays in the construction of the cells; but it would be a great error to suppose that the bees cannot build up a rough wall of wax in the proper position— that is, along the plane of intersection between two adjoining spheres. I have several specimens
showing showing 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 | show- ing 1866 |
clearly that they can do this. Even in the rude circumferential rim or wall of wax round a growing comb, flexures may sometimes be observed, corresponding in position to the planes of the rhombic basal plates of future cells. But the rough wall of wax has in every case to be finished off, by being largely gnawed away on both sides. The manner in which the bees build is curious; they always make the first rough wall from ten to twenty times thicker than the excessively thin finished wall of the cell, which will ultimately be left. We shall understand how they work, by supposing masons first to pile up a broad ridge of cement, and then to begin cutting it away equally on both sides near the ground, till a smooth, very thin wall is left in the middle; the masons always piling up the cut-away cement, and adding fresh
cement cement 1869 1872 | cement, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
on the summit of the ridge. We shall thus have a thin wall steadily growing
upward upward 1869 1872 | upward; 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
but always crowned by a gigantic coping. From all the cells, both those just commenced and those completed, being thus crowned by a strong coping of wax, the bees can cluster and crawl over the comb without injuring the delicate hexagonal
walls. walls. 1861 1866 1869 1872 | walls, 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | which 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | are 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | only 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | about 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | one 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | four-hundredth 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | of 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | an 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | inch 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | in 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | thickness; 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | the 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | plates 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | of 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | the 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | pyramidal 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | basis 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | being 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | about 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | twice 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | as 1859 1860 |
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | thick. 1859 1860 |
These walls, as Professor Miller has kindly ascertained for me, vary greatly in thickness; being, on an average of twelve measurements made near the border of the comb, 1/353 of an inch in thickness; whereas the basal rhomboidal plates are
thicker thicker 1861 1866 1869 | thicker, 1872 |
nearly in the proportion of three to two, having a mean thickness, from twenty-one measurements, of 1/229 of an inch. By
the above the above 1861 1866 1869 1872 | this 1859 1860 |
singular manner of building,
|