THE BEE. 109 



divided into parties ; but it most usually happens 

 that one of these is more considerable than the 

 other, and the bees by degrees desert the weakest, 

 to take shelter under the most powerful protector. 

 The deserted queen does not long survive this 

 defeat ; she takes refuge under the new monarch, 

 and is soon destroyed by her jealous rival. Till 

 this cruel execution is performed, the bees never 

 go out to work ; and if there should be a queen- 

 bee belonging to the new colony left in the old 

 hive, she always undergoes the fate of the former. 

 However, it must be observed, that the bees never 

 sacrifice any of their queens when the hive is full 

 of wax and honey ; for there is at that time no 

 danger in maintaining a plurality of breeders. 



When the swarm is thus conducted to a place 

 of rest, and the policy of government is settled, 

 the bees soon resume their former labours. The 

 making cells, storing them with honey, impreg- 

 nating the queen, making proper cells for the re- 

 ception of the rising progeny, and protecting them 

 from external danger, employ their unceasing in- 

 dustry. But soon after, and towards the latter 

 end of summer, when the colony is sufficiently 

 stored with inhabitants, a most cruel policy en- 

 sues. The drone bees, which are (as has been 

 said) generally in a hive to the number of a hun- 

 dred, are marked for slaughter. These, which 

 had hitherto led a life of indolence and pleasure, 

 whose only employment was in impregnating the 

 queen, and rioting upon the labours of the hive, 

 without aiding in the general toil, now share the 



