99 



together about her to keep her warm. Nor do they 

 shew this respect to one female only. Mr. Reau- 

 mur, at several times, put several females marked 

 with different colours, into the same s\vann. And 

 all these were for a time, received as well as the proper 

 female. 



The swarm which leaves an old hive, have often 

 three or more females. These have their several 

 followers. And each with her followers, were the 

 number sufficient, would form a distinct swarm. As 

 it is not, they all go into the same hive. But all, 

 except one, are soon destroyed. The reason is, the 

 working bees of a hive have enough to do to pre- 

 pare cells, for lodging the eggs of one female, and 

 it would be impossible for them to prepare twice or 

 thrice that number. 



Sometimes in two parts of a swarm, there are 

 more than two female bees. In this case too, as soon 

 as they are lodged in the hive, all are killed but one. 

 Nature designs but one female lor each swarm. But 

 as many things may destroy the egg or worm of thft 

 single female, it was needful that provisions should 

 be made for accidents. So that there are often twen- 

 ty females which live to maturity with the bees of 

 one swarm. But one only is then spared, whether 

 they go out with the swarm, or remain within. 



As soon as the swaruuis gone out, the first work of 

 the remaining bees, is to destroy the young females, 

 These are all immediately killed and carried out of 

 the hive ; and it is common, the morning after th 

 going out of a swarm, to see six, eight, or more female 

 bees, lying dead at some distance from the hive. What 

 determines the bees in favour of one, 'is her having 

 eggs ready to be hatched. Accordingly, if new made 

 cells be examined, she will be f^und the very next 

 day, to have laid eggs in many, if not all. Whereas 

 if the bodies of the rejected females be examined, 

 there will be found either no eggs at all, or eggs so 

 extremely minute, that it must have been a long time 

 before any could have been liid. 



F2 



