2 5 o THE HUMBLE-BEE 



every time I saw a worker attack the cell I took it 

 away. In this way I removed ten workers. Still 

 some assaulted it, but their attacks were less 

 vehement. 



Aug. 8, 7.30 a.m. The cell remains, but is much 

 reduced in size, and is not nearly large enough to 

 contain all the eggs ; some must have been removed 

 during the night. The workers do not now molest 

 the cell, but cherish it, and the queen takes no 

 notice of it. 



About 5.0 p.m. a fresh cell was constructed in 

 another part of the comb, and the queen laid 'a 

 number of eggs in it and kept guard over them. 

 At 7.45 she added one or two more eggs to these, 

 bringing the total number in the cell to about ten. 



Aug. 9. This cell has also survived the attacks 

 of the workers. 



At 1.20 p.m. another cell was beeun. Three or 

 four workers were busy at it, but the queen visited 

 it only occasionally, and at 1.50 it had disappeared ; 

 probably the workers intended this cell for the 

 reception of their own eggs. 



At 2.45 again a cell was started ; this was slowly 

 completed, and the queen began to lay at 3.50. 

 Watching her at work it seemed to me that she 

 often missed the cell with her tail because she was 

 not quite ready to lay, for a determined effort always 

 succeeded. 



Aug. 10, 7 a.m. This third cell of eggs has also 

 survived the night, and is not so much reduced in 

 size as the last. Evidently the queen has learnt 



