252 THE HUMBLE-BEE 



The comb consisted of: 



(i) The empty cocoons that had contained the 

 first batch of workers. 



(2) Three large clusters of later worker cocoons, 

 all empty except four cocoons in one cluster which, 

 by their darkened appearance, showed that their 

 occupants were about to emerge. 



(3) Four large clusters of rupestris cocoons, none 

 yet hatched. The oldest cluster contained 21 males 

 and 5 females ; the second, 21 males and 6 females; 

 the third, 18 males and 5 females ; the youngest, 10 

 males and 9 females. 



(4) Three lumps of half-fed and nearly full-fed 

 larvae. Three lumps of smaller larvae. Three cells 

 of eggs ; one of these was opened, and was found 

 to contain 29 rupestris eggs. 



The Psithyrus queen was nowhere to be seen, 

 but suspecting she had hidden herself in a side hole, 

 I left a lump of cocoons in the cavity to attract her, 

 and returning a quarter of an hour later found her 

 on this. 



To strengthen the nest I added brood and 

 workers from a queenless lapidarius nest. 



During the next few days I watched the nest 

 closely. The rupestris queen was most energetic, 

 and day and night kept running hurriedly over the 

 comb in all directions, uttering a short .mournful cry 

 every minute or two ; the sound was like that 

 emitted by a bee when it is squeezed, and lasted 

 about a second ; while it was being made the wings 

 were seen to vibrate. Her chief occupation seemed 



