THE GENESIS OF THE QUEEN 107 
latory retinue, each attendant bee keeping her 
head respectfully towards her sovereign, and back- 
ing before her as she progresses over the combs. 
Something of this sort is constantly seen during 
breeding-time, but at other seasons the queen 
ordinarily receives little attention, passing to and 
fro in the hive with no more ceremony than is 
bestowed on any other of the bees. The medizval 
writers were aware that the queen had these 
attendants, and believed them always to be twelve 
in number, representing the twelve Apostles. A 
little observation, however, will soon make it clear 
that the bees accompanying the queen on her 
egg-laying rounds are neither devotees nor cour- 
tiers. They are actually her guides, her keepers. 
The queen’s movements are all prompted by the 
incessant strokings and pushings and gentle 
touches of the antennz that she receives from her 
attendants. Thus they lead her over the combs, 
stopping her at each vacant cell, and gathering 
close about her, evidently with the most absorbing 
anxiety and interest in the operation. First, she 
peers into the cell, examining it carefully. Then 
she rears; the bees give way before her; she 
takes a step or two onward until the end of her 
body is over the cell. And then she thrusts her 
abdomen deep into it, pauses a moment, mounts 
again upon’ the comb, and the attendant bees at 
once resume charge of her, and manceuvre her 
towards the next empty cell. This process never 
