THE BEE. 281 



round, their eyes full, and their tongues short. The form 

 of the belly differs from those of both queen and common 

 bees ; and their color is darker than either. They have 

 no sting, and they make a much greater noise when flying 

 than either the queen or common bees ; a peculiarity of it- 

 self sufficient to distinguish them. Other writers on this 

 subject have asserted, that the dissection of the drone gives 

 as*' great proof of its being the male, as that of the queen 

 does of her being female. 



The queen is easily distinguished from all other bees in 

 the hive, by the form, size, and color of her body. She is 

 considerably longer, and her wings are much shorter, in 

 proportion to her body, than those of the other bees. The 

 wings of both common bees and drones cover their whole 

 bodies, whereas those of the queen scarcely reach beyond 

 the middle, ending about the third ring of the belly. Her 

 hinder part is far more tapering than those of the other 

 bees ; her belly or legs are yellower, and her upper parts 

 of a much darker color than theirs. She is also furnished 

 with a sting, though some authors assert that she has none, 

 having been induced to form this opinion because she is 

 extremely pacific ; so much so indeed, that one may han- 

 dle her and even tease her as much as he pleases, without 

 provoking her resentment. The omniscient Governor of 

 nature has wisely ordained this majestic insect to be of a 

 pacific disposition ; for, were she otherwise, were she like 

 the other bees, of so irritable a temper as to draw her sting 

 on every occasion, and to leave it in the body of her an- 

 tagonist, it would prove of dangerous and often fatal con- 

 sequences to the whole hive ; for every bee, after losing 

 her sting, dies within a day or two at the utmost. The 

 queen bee is solemn and calm in her deportment. A 

 young queen is a great deal smaller in size than a full- 

 grown one ; being not much longer than a common bee, 

 and is therefore not so easily observed when sought for. 

 When only three or four days old, she is very quick in her 



