1 42 THE WALKS ABROAD OF 



the first place obtain it from flowers, from which they 

 abstract it by suction, and disgorge it into the cells of 

 the comb. When everything is prepared, the queen 

 leaves the hive, takes a flight in the air, and returns 

 to lay her eggs. After this moment all the males are 

 massacred without any mercy." 



" Without sparing any ? I think this detracts 

 much from the idyl of the bee. I was inclined to 

 fancy them models of all the virtues ! You were say- 

 ing that the queen returns to lay 



" An egg in each cell ; but, like a prudent manager, 



DBOXE, OB MALE OF THE HONEY BEE. 



she proceeds in a recognised order : first the eggs of 

 workers, then the eggs that are to produce males, 

 and lastly, in much larger cells, eggs from which 

 queens are to arise, these latter at intervals of some 

 days, in order that several queens shall not be born 

 together, for this would probably give rise to fatal 

 disturbances." 



"Such a proceeding may be called the perfection of 

 foresight. Offspring, and the future tranquillity of the 



