4 HISTORY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 



never to be seen after the middle of August, ex- 

 cepting under very peculiar circumstances which 

 will be stated hereafter. They are one third 

 larger than the workers, somewhat thicker and of 

 a darker colour ; they have a shorter proboscis 

 and are more blunt at the tail than either the 

 queen or the workers ; the last ring of the body 

 is fringed with hairs, extending over the tail and 

 visible to the naked eye. They make a greater 

 noise in flying and have no sting ; are rather 

 shorter than the queen but much larger. Under- 

 neath the tail two small protuberances of a yellow- 

 ish colour may be seen, which are regarded as the 

 distinctive marks of their sex. In some sw r arms 

 no drones are observable : probably these are 

 first swarms, which, being always led off by old 

 queens, have no occasion for drones, if there be 

 any truth in the theory to be hereafter stated. 



Worker. 

 Drone. 



