PHYSIOLOGY. 281 



other, for they instantly separate if there be any 

 danger of mutual destruction from the darting 

 forth of their stings. HUBER gives a striking in- 

 stance of this. Two queens in one of his hives 

 having left their cells at nearly the same instant, 

 rushed together with great apparent fury. The 

 antennae of each were seized by the teeth of the 

 other, and the head, breast, and belly of both 

 were mutually opposed. Finding themselves how- 

 ever thus dangerously situated, and their curved 

 extremities on the point of meeting, each dis- 

 engaged itself and flew away ; when the other 

 bees, who had before receded, to make a clear 

 arena for the combatants, drove them together 

 again. This was done repeatedly, till at last the 

 stronger queen, seizing the other's wing, and 

 curling her extremities under her belly, inflicted 

 a mortal sting. 



I think this observation of Huber puts a ne- 

 gative upon Dr. Evans's last question, and to as- 

 sent to his first would I apprehend raise her ma- 

 jesty too high in the scale of existence. I believe 

 we must here, as in many other similar cases, 

 acknowledge our ignorance, and refer the pro- 

 ceeding to instinct. 



We have seen that where there is more than 

 one native queen in a hive, there is always a 

 combat between them, terminating in the death 



