MARCH. 



73 



future queens : these are called royal cells, and are of quite 

 a different form from the rest. The antennae seem to be the 

 organs by which the little architects regulate the shape of 

 their wonderful buildings. The first cells are all made of 

 the proper size and form for the working Bees ; but when 

 the queen is going to lay male eggs, the builders immedi- 

 ately change the dimensions of the cell to suit the intended 

 occupant ; they also, at certain intervals, construct royal 

 cells, and about once in three days the queen deposits an 

 egg, which is destined to produce a future queen. 



Another extraordinary circumstance is noticed, connected 

 with these embryo sovereigns, which is, that should the queen 

 happen to die before having laid any royal eggs, the Bees, 

 after much apparent consultation, select one of those formed 

 for the working Bees ; three cells are thrown into one for its 

 reception, the grub, when hatched, is fed with royal jelly, 

 and a queen is produced ; whereas, had it remained in the 

 original cell, and been fed with ordinary food, it would have 

 turned out only a working Bee. This, and some other facts, 

 ' are so contrary to what is known in other branches of 

 Natural History, that, unless fully proved, they might be 

 deemed fabulous. 



We must now proceed to the period when the young 



