GENERATION OF ANIMALS, III. x. 



out that the leaders generate their own kind, and 

 another kind as well (viz., the " bees ") ; while the 

 " bees " generate another kind (the drones), but not 

 their own kind ; this they have been deprived of 

 doing. And since any business of Nature's always 

 has an orderly arrangement, on that account necessity 

 requires that the drones shall have been deprived 

 even of generating some other kind. And this is 

 what is found to be the case in actual fact : they 

 are generated themselves, but generate no other 

 creature ; thus the progression of generation reaches 

 its limit at the third term of the series. And this 

 arrangement has been so well constituted by Nature 

 that the three kinds continue ever in existence and 

 none of them fails, though not all of them generate. 

 [Another point about them, which is in accord with 

 what we should expect, is this. In fine seasons, much 

 honey and a large number of drones is produced, in 

 rainy seasons a large number of offspring generally. 

 The reason is that wet conditions produce more 

 residue in the bodies of the leaders, whereas fine 

 seasons do the same in those of the bees, for being 

 smaller in size they have greater need of fine 

 weather.] ° Besides, it is well that the kings, who 

 have, as it were, been made specially for the purpose 

 of procreation, should stay within, released from the 

 drudger}- that has got to be done by somebodv : 

 and that they should be large, since their bodv lias 

 been constituted as it were for procreation, and that 

 the drones should be idle, as they have no weapon 

 for engaging in combat to secure their food, and also 

 on account of the slowness of their bodies. [The 

 be'es, however, are as regards size midwav between 

 the two, for thus they are ser\iceable for active work, 



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