98 



done their work, are all killed. The wings of the 

 female reach only to the third ring of her body, where- 

 as those of all other bees cover the whole body. 

 But though she is thus easy to be distinguished, yet 

 few have ever seen a queen-bee, as she is always close 

 covered iti the hive. 



Mr. Reaumur desiring to try how far the accounts 

 given of the homage paid by the others to the,, queen, 

 bee was true, caused a swarm of bees to be swept 

 down into a glass hive. Among these there was one 

 female. She was soon distinguished by her shape, 

 and the shortness of her wings. For awhile she 

 walked alone at the bottom of the hive, the rest 

 seeming to regard nothing but their own safety. The 

 female after going twice or thrice up the side of the 

 hive, to the top of it, where they were hung, at 

 last going in among the cluster, brought down about 

 a dozen with her. Attended with these, she walked 

 along slowly at the bottom of the hive. -But the 

 rest continuing at the top, she went again and again, 

 till they all came down, and formed a circle about 

 her, leaving her a free passage wherever she turned 

 to walk, and feeding her with the honey, they had 

 gathered for themselves. 



The hive was largo enough for more than their 

 number. However the female seemed to find it 

 would not be large enough for the family she was to 

 produce. So gathering them all about her, she went 

 out and flew to a neighbouring tree. All followed 

 her, and formed a cluster about her^ in. the common 

 way. 



The bees follow their queen wherever she goes. 

 And if she be tied by one of the legs to a stick, all 

 the swarm will gather in a cluster about her 3 and by 

 removing the stick may be carried any where. 



Nature seems to have informed the common bees 

 that they are to bring up the offspring of this fe- 

 male, therefore they serve her in every thing. If 

 by any means she is dirtied, all the rest try who 

 shall clean her. And in cold weather they cluster 



