2 THE APIA.EY; OR, 



I. THE INHABITANTS OF THE HIVE. 



Every hive or bee colony comprises tliree distinct classes of 

 bees, eacb class having functions peculiar to itself, and which are 

 essential to the -well-being of the whole community. As each bee 

 knows its own proper duties, they all work harmoniously and zealously 

 together, for the common weal. Certain appareut exceptions to the 

 good-fellowship of the bees wiU be hereafter noticed, but those 

 arise out of essential conditions in the social economy of the bee 

 community. 



The three classes of bees are : — the queen bee, with the pupae or 

 embryos intended for queens ; the working bees j and the drones or 

 male bees. 



The Queen. — Dr. Evans* introduces the queen bee to our 



notice thus : — 



Pirst of the throng, and foremost of the whole. 

 One 'stands confest the sovereign and the soul.' 



The queen may very readily be distinguished from the rest of the 

 bees by the greater length of her body, and the comparative shortness 

 of her wings ; her legs are longer, and are not furnished with either 

 brushes or baskets as those of the working bee, for being constantly 

 fed by the latter, she does not need those implements ; the upper 

 surface of her body is of a brighter black than the other bees, 

 whilst her colour underneath is a yellowish brown ; her wings, which 

 do not extend more than half the length of her body, are sinewy and 

 strong ; her long abdomen tapers nearly to a point ; her head is 

 rounder, her tongue more slender, and not nearly so long, as that of 

 the working bee, and her sting is curved; her movements are 

 measured and majestic, as she moves in the hive the other bees form 

 a circle round her, none venturing to turn their backs upon her, 

 but aU anxious to show that respect and attention due to her rank 

 and station. Whenever in the exercise of her sovereign will the 

 queen wishes to travel amongst her subjects, she experiences no 

 inconvenience from overcrowding ; although the part of the hive to 



* Dr. Evans,— who may be styled the poet-laureate of the bees, — lived at 

 Shrewsbury, where he practised as a physician. His poem on bees is written 

 with great taste and careful elaboration, and it describes the habits of bees 

 with a degree of accuracy only attainable after continuous scientific observation. 



