INHABITANTS OF THE HIVE. 37 



There are a vast number of these workers in a 

 hive, — as many as from 15,000 to 40,000, or even per- 

 haps 50,000 ; as many bees, that is, as there are people 

 in a very large town. 



II. The next illustration is that of the Queen, or 

 Mother bee, who reigns by herself, the only one of her 

 kind in the hive, chief of all, and most important 

 of all. 



' First of the throng and foremost of the whole, 

 One stands confest the Sovereign and the soul.' 



Virgil. 



Now observe her appearance carefully, for, when you 

 keep bees, you will have to be perfectly familiar with 

 the appearance of a queen, and to be so quick with 

 your eyes as to be able to find her out amidst the 

 thousands of others. You will learn to do this without 

 much difficulty after a time. I can fancy I now hear 

 you saying with delight, ' There she is ! there she is ! ' as 

 you point to her walking about amongst the crowds 

 of others on all sides, and surrounded by her attend- 

 ants, every one with its head towards her majesty, 

 stroking her, feeding her, and following her wherever 

 she goes. 



And now, observing her closely, we notice, first 

 of all, that she is a much longer bee than the 

 others, and that her body is of an elegant shape, 

 and that, comparatively to her body, her wings 

 are much shorter. We notice also that her colour 

 is somewhat different to the others, rather darker 

 and brighter. 



Observing her movements, we notice that she 

 walks about more slowly and sedately than the other 



