The Life of the Bee 



universe would probably have presented 

 an enigma less incomprehensible, less 

 pitiable, than the one we are striving to 

 solve. But our consciousness, and the 

 interest we take in existence, must grap- 

 ple, not with what might have been, but 

 with what is. 



Around the virgin queen, and dwelling 

 with her in the hive, are hundreds of ex- 

 uberant males, forever drunk on honey ; 

 the sole reason for their existence being 

 one act of love. But, notwithstanding 

 the incessant contact of two desires that 

 elsewhere invariably triumph over every 

 obstacle, the union never takes place in 

 the hive, nor has it been possible to bring 

 about the impregnation of a captive queen.^ 



^ Professor McLain has recently succeeded in caus- 

 ing a few queens to be artificially impregnated ; but 

 this has been the result of a veritable surgical opera- 

 tion, of the most delicate and complicated nature. 

 Moreover, the fertility of the queens was restricted 

 and ephemeral, 



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