512 THE B^E. 



enemies, whofe hoftllitles are conftantlj provoked by tli^ 

 hoDi-y and wax. 



The fting of the bee is alfo ufcd for another purpofe, 

 the nropriety of which we are not fo well able to vindi- 

 caie At a certain time, they are bufy from morning to 

 night in no other employment than mafficring their af- 

 fociates. The males, it feems, after the female is fecun- 

 dated, become ufelefs, and even offenlive to the reft of the. 

 hive. The working bees, who had formerly been their 

 nurfes, and hitherto had lived with them in the beft un- 

 derttanding, all at once break loofe upon them with un^ 

 relenting fury, and in two or three days deflroy the whole 

 in one general carnage f . 



Of the reaf-'ns alleged by the working bees for this 

 maflacre, we are altogether ignorant j we know not upon 

 what claim their pov^er of life and death over the males 

 is founded, farther than that nature feems to have grant- 

 ed fuch a right, by giving them power to exercife it. 

 Thefe, however, are not the only combats in wliich the 

 bees are engaged : The working bees of the fame hive 

 cften quarrel, and challenge each other to battle. Long 

 do they flruggle in defence and attack, like two Ikilful 

 pugililts, the one endea\-ouring to find a place in the 

 fcaly body of his adverfary into which he may thrull: his 

 fting, and the other as ftudioufly warding off the blow. 

 The full wound that takes piace puts an end to the en- 

 gagement ; and the vi£l:orious bee walks off, leaving his 

 adverfary to expire in the duft. Sometimes three or 

 four attack a fingle bee, without anydefign upon his life, 

 but with a view to fcrc^ him to difgorge his honey ; and 



' as 



f Virgil was acquainted with this peculiaritjr. Fucos a pref»pil»u« ar- 

 cent igiiavum pecus. ^n. Lib. ii. 



