66 AN EASY METHOD OF 



and manifest at all times the most sincere at- 

 tachment to her by feeding and guarding her 

 from all danger. 



The government of a hive is nearer repub- 

 lican than any other, because it is administer- 

 ed in exact accordance with their nature. It 

 is their peculiar natural instinct, which prompts 

 them in all their actions. The Queen has no 

 more to do with the government ot the hive 

 than the other bees, unless influence may be 

 called government. If she finds empty cells 

 in the hive, during the breeding season, she 

 will deposit eggs there, because it is her na- 

 ture ta do so ; and the nature of the workers 

 prompts them so take care and nurse all the 

 young larvcR, labor and collect food for their 

 sustenance, guard and protect their habitations, 

 and do and perform all things, in due obedi- 

 ence, not to the commands of the Queen, but 

 to their own peculiar instinct. 



The drone is probably the male bee, not- 

 withstanding the sexual union has never been 

 witnessed by any man ; yet so many experi- 

 ments have been tried, and observations 

 made, that but little doubt can be entertained 

 of its truth. That the sexual intercourse 

 takes place high in the air, is highly proba- 

 ble from the fact, that other insects of the 

 fly tribe do copulate in the air, when on the 



