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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'Note to a paper on the geometrical construction of the cell of the honey bee' by Henry Hennessy

Reference number: PP/9/14

Date: 1886

Description

Hennessy writes: 'The result obtained in the paper on the cell of the honey bee, read November 26, 1885, by which the side of one of the lozenges composing the cell was found to be three times the difference between the two parallel edges forming the sides of one of the trapeziums of the prism, gives a very simple method for constructing the figure as follows. On a straight line take a part AD, and lay off DC equal to twice AD, from D erect a perpendicular, and with radius AC = 3DA cut off DP; AC and AP are sides of the lozenge ACEP, which fulfils the required conditions. It is manifest that from this lozenge the remaining two lozenges and also the six trapeziums can he immediately constructed.'

Annotations in ink. Includes one geometrical diagram.

Subject: Geometry

Received 16 November 1886. Read 9 December 1886.

A version of this paper was published in volume 41 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'Note to a paper on the geometrical construction of the cell of the honey bee ('Roy. Soc. Proc.,' vol. 39, page 253)'.

Reference number
PP/9/14
Earliest possible date
1886
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
3 pages
Format
Manuscript
Diagram

Creator name

Henry Hennessy

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Citation

Henry Hennessy, Paper, 'Note to a paper on the geometrical construction of the cell of the honey bee' by Henry Hennessy, 1886, PP/9/14, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/pp_9_14/paper-note-to-a-paper-on-the-geometrical-construction-of-the-cell-of-the-honey-bee-by-henry-hennessy, accessed on 23 January 2025

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  • Proceedings Papers

    Dates: 1882 - 1894

    The archival collection known as 'Proceedings Papers' is comprised of manuscripts and occasional proofs of scientific papers sent to the Royal Society which were read before meetings of Fellows and printed in full in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

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