. Animal physiology. Physiology, Comparative; Physiology, Comparative. CONSTRUCTION OP BEE S CELL. 535 mathematical calculation of a very high order, that, in order to combine the greatest strength with the least expenditure of mate- rial, the angles formed by the edges of these planes should have a certain regular amount; which was ascertained by the measure- ment of Maraldi to be, for one, 109° 28', and for the other 70° 32'. By the very intricate mathematical calculations of Koenig, it was determined that the angles should be 109° 26', and 70° 34',—a coincidence between the theory of the Ma
. Animal physiology. Physiology, Comparative; Physiology, Comparative. CONSTRUCTION OP BEE S CELL. 535 mathematical calculation of a very high order, that, in order to combine the greatest strength with the least expenditure of mate- rial, the angles formed by the edges of these planes should have a certain regular amount; which was ascertained by the measure- ment of Maraldi to be, for one, 109° 28', and for the other 70° 32'. By the very intricate mathematical calculations of Koenig, it was determined that the angles should be 109° 26', and 70° 34',—a coincidence between the theory of the Mathematician and the practice of the Bee (untaught, save by its Creator), which has been ever regarded as truly marvellous, and as affording one of the most remarkable examples of the operation of instinct. The very small discrepancy, amounting to only 2 minutes of a degree (or l-10,800th part of the whole circle), has been usually sup- posed to result from a slight error, in the observation of the angle employed by the Bees; but Lord Brougham, not satisfied with this explanation, has recently applied himself to a fresh ma- thematical investigation of the question ; and he has shown that, owing to the neglect of certain small quantities, the result formerly obtained was erroneous, to the exact amount of 2. Fig. 272.—Apiary. minutes ; so that the Bees proved to be right, and the Mathe- matician wrong.* * See his Supplement to New Edition of Paley's Natural Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Carpenter, William Benjamin, 1813-1885. London : Wm. S. Orr and Co.
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