IMPREGNATION OF QUEENS. 6 



month of September, after all the drones had been de- 

 stroyed. I wanted to know on how many days she left 

 her hive to find a companion. Being a journeyman gar- 

 dener at the time, I visited the hive but once a-day, gene- 

 rally about four o'clock in the afternoon. The mouth of 

 the hive was shut, so that every bee had to pass through 

 a narrow tube, projecting two or three inches, before it 

 took wing. Though the way out was plain and easy, 

 neither the queen nor bees ever found the way back into 

 the hive. For nine days the queen came through the 

 tube, though the weather was rather cold and showery at 

 the time, and was invariably found sometimes trying to 

 find an entrance into the hive, or nestled up in a small 

 cluster of bees near the door of the hive. Once I saw 

 her come home and light on the flight-board at four 

 o'clock. The sky was heavily clouded, and the atmosphere 

 rather cold. Of course the queen and bees found out- 

 side the hive were admitted every afternoon. This simple 

 experiment fully convinced me that the impulses of a 

 young queen for a mate are very strong and urgent ; and 

 when she fails to find one, the fault is not hers. 



The drones seldom leave their hive but in very fine 

 weather. This fact accounts for the non-impregnation of 

 queens during unfavourable weather. Very cold or stormy 

 weather "may, and often does, I daresay, prevent queens 

 from leaving their hives on these errands or occasions of 

 necessity. Failure is very uncommon in fine weather. 

 About the time her majesty is expected to leave her hive, 

 the drones come out in great force and make a tremendous 

 noise in front of the hive. By reason of their number 

 their buzz becomes a roar, heard at a considerable dis- 

 tance from the hive. Last year I happened to hear this 

 well-known sound, and went at once to see her majesty 

 come out of her hive and go away on her marriage-tour. 



