NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY BEE. 7 



internal and external organs of any living creature. The 

 case is without a parallel in all the animal creation. It 

 is not a mere superficial change which has been effected, 

 but one which penetrates far below form and structure, to 

 the very fountain of life itself. It is transformation alike 

 of function, of structure, and of instinct. When a hive 

 becomes Queenless, instinct teaches the Bees that the loss 

 must be replaced, or the colony perishes. In the natural 

 order of events the hive will contain eggs and young 

 larvae, some of whom the Bees select for special treatment, 

 as above described, and rear to Queens. That they will do 

 this is almost certain, but it is not so sure that the Queen 

 will become a prolific mother. Between April and July 

 the young Queen will have every chance of meeting a 

 Drone on her wedding trip, but at other times the pro- 

 bability is more or less doubtful, and unless the desired 

 consummation be attained within thirty days of her birth, 

 she becomes a Drone breeder only — the result being- the 

 speedy extinction of her race. On the emergence of the 

 young Queen from her cell she is creamy white in colour, 

 her wings are limp and hairs damp, but she is in full 

 activity ; should she cross an open honey cell, she thrusts 

 in her tongue and feeds greedily, and her next thought 

 seems to be to destroy all others of her sister Queens who 

 may yet be unborn. I have seen her tearing open their 

 cells before her own wings were dry, being assisted in the 

 murderous work by the Workers. 



From two to seven days after the Queen is born, she 

 issues from her hive, takes wing, and after a good look 

 at her home and its surroundings, for after recognition, 

 speeds with rapid pinions on her nuptial excursion far 

 away out of sight. The question naturally arises, Why 

 should she do this, when her own hive teems with 

 Drones } Probably it is due to the law of nature, that 



