HISTORY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 29 



heat has induced the drones to issue from the 

 hive ; on which occasions, the queen soars high in 

 the air, love being the motive for the only distant 

 journey she ever takes. " The rencontre and 

 copulation of the queen with the drone take place 

 exterior to the hive," says Lombard, " and whilst 

 they are on the wing." They are similarly con- 

 stituted with the whole family of flies. A cor- 

 responding circumstance may also be noted with 

 respect to the queen-ant ; and Bonnet, in his Cow- 

 templations de la Nature, has observed that she is 

 always impregnated whilst she is on the wing. 

 The dragon-flies copulate as they fly through the 

 air, in which state they have the appearance of a 

 double animal. 



" When noon-tide Sirius glares on high, 



Young Love ascends the glowing sky, 



From vein to vein swift shoots prolific fire, 

 -And thrills each insect fibre with desire. 

 Thence, Nature, to fulfil thy prime decree, 

 Wheels round, in wanton rings, the courtier bee ; 

 Now shyly distant, now with bolden'd air, 

 He woos and wins the all-complying fair : 

 Through fields of ether, veil'd in vap'ry gloom, 

 They seek, with amorous haste, the nuptial room ; 

 As erst th' immortal pair, on Ida's height, 

 Wreath'd round their noon of joy, ambrosial night." 



EVANS. 



The males and the fertile females, among ants, 

 are winged insects ; the former, as in the case of 

 drone bees, perish a short time after their amours ; 



