182 Miscellaneous. 



that after her first deposit (of eggs), exclusively those of workers, 

 which lasts uninterruptedly up to the end of July or the begin- 

 ning of August, the reflex which brings about the contraction of 

 the seminal receptacle at the moment of the laying of each egg 

 is no longer produced with the same energy, and that therefore 

 the eggs can be laid without being fecundated ; thence the almost 

 sudden appearance of males corresponding to the relative state of 

 inertia of the receptacle. Then it is that the workers building the 

 large cells give the queen a choice between two distinct classes of 

 alveoli ; and she, stimulated by the presence of the large alveoli, 

 which seem to possess the power of rendering her reflexes more 

 energetic *, will concentrate from that time all her energies upon 

 them, and will only lay fecundated eggs and females. The 

 modification thus introduced into the theory is important, because 

 it replaces the voluntary act of the queen by a passive one. The 

 queen does not deposit males and females at will ; but there comes 

 a time when she cannot do otherwise than deposit males, because of 

 the relative inertia of her receptacle. Among the bees the queen 

 appears to be always conscious t of this state of inertia, and when 

 she is subjected to it she will never lay in any other cell but that of 

 a male, unless there are none of them at her disposal (observations of 

 Drory). It is not the same among the wasps, which mark a less 

 perfect stage in the evolution of the phenomena relating to repro- 

 duction. With them the queen lays haphazard when she finds 

 herself over the small cells, and then, according as her receptacle 

 reacts or remains inactive, the deposit (of eggs) gives rise to patches 

 and streaks of workers or to patches and streaks of males, set 

 irregularly and without order one beside the other. If, on the other 

 hand, the queen finds herself over the large cells, stimulated by 

 their presence, she will only lay fecundated and female eggs. 



It is very remarkable that, among the wasps, the large cells 

 (queen cells) are adapted to the state of activity of the receptacle, 

 whilst among the bees the large cells (male cells) are adapted to her 

 state of inertia. 



Possibly further observations may bring into line other factors 

 not at present suspected, and will modify the theory which has just 

 been laid down. Its only value consists in its giving an accept- 

 able explanation of facts hitherto known and of those which I have 

 just set forth. 



Laying of Worlcers. — This deposit is normal in August in the 

 nests which have their queens ; it exists, however, in a relatively 

 small degree, and is not sufiicient to account for the great rise iu 

 (the number of) males ; then it diminishes and ceases completely 

 in normal nests in September and in October. The laying of 

 workers is exaggerated in an extraordinary degree by the simple 

 fact of the suppression of the queen or by her ceasing to lay. 



* The queen in captivity shows a marked preference for the large cells. 



t The term conscious is not altogether correct, but it saves a peri- 

 phrasis ; it is rather a matter of adaptation, of pre-established harmony, 

 than of consciousness. 



