NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 11 



greatly diminished; but March with its freezing blasts was a month 

 of disaster which did more harm to the apiary in Scotland than 

 can be remembered by the oldest inhabitant. From its beginning to 

 its close scarcely a bee was on the wing, and, as in the previous 

 month breeding had been going on rapidly, the bees being anxious 

 to increase their numbers, the sudden change of weather prevented 

 them from getting abroad. In these circumstances they were 

 brought to the verge of destitution, and required to be liberally 

 supplied with artificial food. On 2nd April it was found, upon 

 examination of the hives, that two stocks had succumbed, while 

 others followed at a later date, and generally great mortality 

 prevailed. From correspondence with Apiarians in Scotland, it 

 was estimated that 40 per cent, of the bees had perished. The 

 first half of May was very favourable for ingathering, but by the 

 middle of the month wet and boisterous weather set in, and 

 another check took place. On 4th June an examination of the 

 stocks showed breeding going on rapidly; by the 12th swamiing 

 had begun, and before the end of the month the apiary, which 

 consisted of eight stocks, had increased to twenty. The fine 

 weather of July was very favourable, and from the white clover 

 blossoms honey was secreted in abundance ; but by the middle of 

 the month the heat became so intense that the clover was burnt up, 

 and but for roses and other wild plants in flower the bees would 

 have found it difficult to get a bare subsistence. In August the 

 writer proceeded to London to attend the British Beekeepers' 

 Show, and subsequently he visited Paris with the view of making 

 observations, the result being that, in his opinion, Scotland is ahead 

 of both capitals, the French observatory hives being simply 

 deplorable, as no advance had been made since the former 

 Exhibition. On his return, and on through September, he found 

 all his hives in splendid condition, and after taking 200 lbs. of 

 honey from the stocks, he was able to leave each of them with 

 over 35 lbs. to put through the winter. Mr. Bennett gave some 

 interesting information regarding hermaphrodites and fertile 

 workers, the latter of which he had seen for the first time at 

 Blantyre, in possession of Mr. Thomson. The bees having failed 

 to raise a queen, were noticed to be paying marked attention 

 to a worker, who deposited eggs, which in three or four days 

 produced grubs, and in a short time beautifully marked drones 

 emerged from the cells. In conclusion Mr. Bennett said that in 



