90 The Bee People. 
In fact, there is nothing for him to do 
but to stay at home and be taken care of 
like a gentleman of leisure. 
This he does to perfection. He stands 
about with is hands in his pockets, so 
: = to speak, and lets 
—— ~ his little brown sis- 
His little b brown § sister ter feeds him. ters feed him, which 
they do by allowing him to put his tongue 
into their mouths. On warm, sunny days, 
he flies out to see the world and to try his 
fortune. 
Occasionally a drone meets the young 
queen of another hive, also out to see the 
world. When this happens they mate, but 
she stays with him only a short time, and 
then goes back to her own hive and leaves 
him. 
The poor fellow has no sting at all, so he 
cannot defend himself, or avenge an insult. 
We may pick him up, if we can catch him, 
with no fear of being stung, and may say 
anything to him or about him that we please. 
