72 AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE- 



three different types. This differentiation in the case of drones 

 is the result of being bred in worker-cells. These drones while 

 in a chrysalid fonn are easily distinguishable by the capping of 

 the worker's cell being much more elevated than those surround- 

 ing it. It is a question with me if these drones bred in worke'r- 

 cells have the power of piro-creatioi. Even if it were so, our so 

 far utter inability to mate such an ideal drone with a queen of an 

 unusually long abdomen is debarred by our not having the power 

 to control the mating instinct of bees. A gentleman once said 

 to me, "I have found a method by which I can increase the size 

 of the honey bee." The method was by enlarging the size, ever 

 so little, of the impressions on the foundation comb, and after 

 breeding many generations of this enlarged bee, to again increase 

 the pattern on the foundation, and so on, as the increased size 

 of the bee became fixed. Of course, he knew nothing of practical 

 bee-keeping, and less of its scientific aspect. But when I pointed 

 out that if it were possible to increase the size of the physical 

 structure of bees the whole of the entomophilus flowers would have 

 to undergo a series of new evolutions, so as to fit the enlarged bee, 

 for, according to the Darwinian theory, flowers have evolved to 

 fit the bees, it would appear, according to the creative standpoint, 

 the s^ze and forms of the bees were made to fit the flowers. Be 

 this as it may, we cannot, even if we would, breed bees for a 

 material alteration in form or any increase in size. 



From the foregoing it is evident that the object of bee-culture 

 or bee-farming is not for an imj^rovement or an alteration in the 

 physical contour of the insect. Neither can it be for the produc- 

 tion of ornamental or fancy varieties as it is with poultry-farming 

 or pigeon-fancying, but to produce a bee that shall excel the wild 

 types in gentleness and in labour. 



Elsewhere I have said that I think it possible to produce a 

 type of bee that shall be purely Australian in traits of character, 

 that is, as regards docility and gentleness, activity, and foraging ; 

 a,lso in health and in prolification. To obtain these ends there 

 must be the selection of the fittest. The traits of disposition, etc., 

 cannot be traced as coming in any way from the sire's side, for we 

 seldom, nay never know him. His resultant characteristics can 

 only be seen in the progeny, and these traits that emanate from the 

 masculine side cannot be perpetuated for the reasons given in the 

 earlier part of this subject, and that on "From Maturity to 

 Maternity." In breeding other domestic animals, and, indeed, 



