IN REPUBLICS. 367 
forming one entire: colony. Nature, 
without depriving them of the use of 
their wings, guards against their abuse 
by dissolving every year their re- 
publics. 
What admirable variety in her pro- 
ductions, and in her laws! What re- 
sources! With what care does she avoid 
repetition! It appears, that every pos- 
sible combination exists at the same time. 
There, the republics are permanent ; 
here, they are renewed every year. One 
of these nations sends off, each year, se- 
veral colonies, and the numerous swarms 
go to tenant the woods and rocks; the 
other never divides; it rests entire; al- 
lowing the departure of only a few in- 
dividuals, who go forth, separately, to 
found new societies. It was not suffici- 
ent to multiply these societies#it was 
still necessary to provide for their dura- 
tion. These, then, are the means em- 
ployed to sustain their population, from 
age to age. In the case of bees, one 
single female reigns over a numerous co- 
R 4 
