Influence of Royal Felly. 89 
a B. J. 1887, p. 185), that this royal jelly is different 
rom the food both of the worker and drone larva. It is 
doubtless chyle or digested pollen, as first suggested by 
Dufour, and so ably proved by Schonfeld. Dr. Planta’s 
researches show that the royal jelly is richer in fatty ele- 
ments than either that of the drones or workers; but 
not as rich in proteids, or in sugar, as the food given to 
worker larve. It contains more albuminous material, and 
much more fatty matter than the food of the drone larve. 
Quite likely evaporation may change the nature of this 
royal jelly. This peculiar food, as also its use and abun- 
dance in the cell, was first described by Schirach, a Saxon 
clergyman, who wrote a work on beesin 1771. According 
to Hunter, this royal pabulum is richer in nitrogen than 
that of the common larva. Possibly this author compared 
it with that taken from drone brood. It is thick, like rich 
cream; slightly yellow, and so abundant that the queen 
larva not only floats in it during all its period of growth, 
but quite a large amount remains after her queenship vacates 
the cell. We sometimes find this royal jelly in incomplete 
queen-cells, without larve. 
What a mysterious circumstance is this: These royal 
scions simply receive a more abundant and sumptuous diet, 
and occupy a more ample habitation—for I have more than 
once confirmed the statement of Mr. Quinby, that the 
direction of the cell is immaterial—and yet what a mar- 
velous transformation. Not only are the ovaries developed 
and filled with eggs, but the mouth-organs, the wings, the 
legs, the sting, aye, even the size, form, and habits, are all 
wondrously changed. The food stimulates extra develop- 
ment of the ovaries, and through the law of compensation, 
other parts are less developed. That the development of 
parts should be accelerated, and the size increased, is not so 
surprising—as in breeding other insects I have frequently 
found that kind and amount of food would hasten or retard 
growth, and might even cause a dwarfed imago—but that 
food should so essentially modify the structure, is certainly 
arare and unique circumstance, hardly to be found except 
here and in related animals. Bevan has suggested that fer- 
tile workers, while larve, have received some of this royal 
