1 CONTENTS. 



Extent of their lives not yet ascertained. Their clean- 

 liness. Their instinctive sense of labour, . 147 



CHAP. II. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE QUEEN BEE. Her make, Fecundi 

 ty. Various systems of the manner of her fecunda- 

 tion. The Queen knows not coition. Reluctance of 

 the Queen to sting. Attachment of the Bees to the 

 Queen. Her importance to the hive. Supernumerary 

 Queens massacred at the end of the season. Descrip- 

 tion of the Queen's cell. Erroneous opinions of cer- 

 tain Naturalists with regard to the fructification of thr 

 eggs. Analogy of the Queen Bee and the Wasp. Ex- 

 periment to ascertain the existence of eggs in winter. 

 Method of driving a hive explained, . .149 



CHAP. III. 



ON THE DRONES. Characteristics of the Drones in a 

 hive. Possess no sting. The eggs of the Queen fruc- 

 tified by them. Natural make of the Drone. Not 

 brooding Bees. Refutation of the opinion of Reaumur 

 and Debraw, respecting two kinds of Drones. No 

 swarms produced if a deficiency of Drones. A reme- 

 dy for this disadvantage. Experiment to prove its effi- 

 cacy. Drones massacred at the end of the season. 

 Opinion of Keys. Drones always found in a swarm. 

 Manner in which they are killed, . . .151 



CHAP. IV. 



ON THE COMMON BEES. Called mules in some parts ot 

 England. Their use. Erroneous opinion respecting 

 their economy. Four kinds of Bees mentioned by Na- 

 turalists. One sort only known in England. Difference 

 in the size of the Bee accounted for. Physical descrip- 

 tion of the Bee. The honey-bag. The honey contain- 

 ed in it not intended for the support of the Bee. No ho- 

 ney to be found in it in the winter. The sting, The ve- 

 nom bladder. The poison most virulent in summer. 

 Remedies for the sting. Suggestions of M. Lombard re- 

 specting the sting. Swammerdam's method to prevent 

 a Bee from stinging. Specific used in Prussia for the 

 sting of the Bee^ Eulogy on the Bee, v 152 



