VARIATION OF STRUCTURE, 87 



with which to remove the pollen dust from her body. 

 All these are invaluable to the workers, but would be 

 of no use to her, staying always in the hive. 



Her sting also is different, for she has no occasion 

 to use it against the common enemies of the hive. 

 The workers are alone the fighting population.- 



And when we look at the drones we find the same 

 adaptation of structure' to the wants of the insect. 

 We think of them as the idle ones, never going out 

 to get honey, and doing no work at home ; but in- 

 deed they could not gather the honey, or bring it 

 home, or collect the pollen, even if they tried, for, like 

 the queen, they do not possess a honey-gathering 

 tongue. Neither have they honey-bag nor pollen- 

 baskets. To collect food is not their work. And 

 they could not fight, for they have no sting. Never- 

 theless you must not think they are useless. Indeed 

 they are very necessary to the hive. They must be 

 there if the hive is to prosper. 



\\^e can thus trace the workings of Divine Wisdom 

 not only in the actual construction of every part of 

 each kind of bee, but also in the way in which each is 

 fitted for, and made to fill, its own little place in the 

 community. One is queen, another worker, another 

 drone, and to each one is given the means by which 

 it can best fulfil its own duties, and be the most 

 useful to the community at large. 



And if so, we may be quite sure that the same 

 wise and over-ruling Providence places each one of us 

 in that position where, if we do our duties faithfully, 

 we can be most useful ; and that, instead of sometimes 

 complaining of our lot in life, we shall do far better to 



