GROWTH AND FEEDING OF HONEYBEE LARVAE. 5 



two-thirds of the diameter of the bottom of the cells; the larger 

 snugly filled the bases of the cells. On July 9 the weight of 5 larvae 

 was 502.7 milligrams or 100.54 milligrams each, the larvae near brood 

 continuing to exceed in size those on the opposite side of the frame. 

 The mouths of the cells containing the two largest larvae in this lot 

 were beginning to be contracted. The weight of these two larvae 

 was 284.9 milligrams or 142.45 milligrams each. The two smallest 

 larvae in this weighing weighed 121.5 milligrams, or 60.75 milli- 

 grams each. 



Lot 5 (July 6). — A new comb in the same colony was found to be 

 full of eggs and young brood. About 60 cells on one side of the 

 comb were marked, only the very youngest and most minute larvae 

 being chosen. Some of the larvae were so recently hatched that 

 they had not yet been supplied with food. The first weighing of 

 10 larvae at the age of 1 day showed an average of 0.52 milligram. 

 This is lower than the average weight for the same (estimated) age 

 of any of the previous lots, except Lot 1. None of these larvae were 

 near older unsealed brood. On July 8 the average weight, 2.96 mil- 

 ligrams, approximated that of Lot 1 of the corresponding age, the 

 individual weights ranging from 2.12 to 3.75 milligrams. On July 

 9 considerable differences in size appeared. The average, 14 milli- 

 grams, is close to that for the corresponding age in Lot 1, but a con- 

 siderable range in size became evident — 8.75 to 22.15 milligrams. 

 The larvae at this time covered a circle whose diameter is one-half to 

 three-fourths that of the bottom of the cell. On July 10, the total 

 weight of 5 larvae was 295.2 milligrams, the individual weights rang- 

 ing from 41.8 to 78.5 milligrams. On July 10 about 15 marked cells 

 which contained larvae remained; 3 of these were completely sealed, 

 2 one-half sealed, and 4 just beginning to be sealed. Weights were 

 as follows : 



Milligrams. 



1 larva completely sealed 171. 3 



1 larva one-half sealed 154. 5 



1 larva less than one-half sealed 151. 7 



1 larva with edge of cell slightly turned in 126. 8 



1 larva with edge of cell slightly turned in 128. 6 



Total weight 732.9 



Average weight 146. 6 



Lot 6. — Fifteen to twenty larvae from the same frame were selected 

 as follows : The end of a wire 1 millimeter in diameter was ground off 

 square, to be used as a measure, and only those larvae were selected 

 which in their normal position in the cell could be completely cov- 

 ered by the end of the wire. Such larvae were approximately 

 newly hatched. On the third day, larvae were found in only five 

 marked cells. These averaged 26.1 milligrams. The individual 

 weights in milligrams were as follows : 14, 17.8, 19.3, 36.9, 42.5. 



Lot 7. — On Juty 20 at 9.15 a. m., the queen in the same colony was 

 placed in the center of the hive on a frame free from brood in a 

 space partitioned off from the remainder of the colony by queen- 

 excluding zinc. At 11.15 a. m. some eggs were found on the frame 

 and the queen was removed, great care being taken to prevent her 

 from returning to this comb. The hive was then closed and left 

 undisturbed for three days. On July 23, at 3 p. m, this comb was 

 examined under a binocular microscope and several larvae were seen 



