  A honeycomb detector consisting of a matrix of 96 closely packed hexagonal
cells, each working as a proportional counter with a wire readout, was
fabricated and tested at the CERN PS. The cell depth and the radial dimensions
of the cell were small, in the range of 5-10 mm. The appropriate cell design
was arrived at using GARFIELD simulations. Two geometries are described
illustrating the effect of field shaping. The charged particle detection
efficiency and the preshower characteristics have been studied using pion and
electron beams. Average charged particle detection efficiency was found to be
98%, which is almost uniform within the cell volume and also within the array.
The preshower data show that the transverse size of the shower is in close
agreement with the results of simulations for a range of energies and converter
thicknesses.
