Influence of Royal yelly, 89 



(B. B.J. 1887, p. 185), that this royal jelly is different 

 from the food both of the worker aad 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 larvae. It contains more albuminous material, and 

 much more fatty matter than the food of the drone larvae. 

 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 descrilDed by Schirach, a Saxon 

 clergyman, who wrote a work on bees in 177 1. According 

 to Hunter, this royal pabulum is richer in nitrogen than 

 that of the common larvae. 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 

 larya 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 larvae. 



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 ess(entially modify the structure, is certainly 

 a rare and unique circumstance, hardly to be found except 

 here and in related animals. Bevan has suggested that fer- 

 tile workers, while larva, have received some of this royal 



