8 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



forbids the mingling of kindred blood without due 

 penalty. Did she mate at home, the usual result of 

 breeding in and in would ensue, and in a few generations 

 the breed would perish ; but by flying far away she 

 introduces fresh blood, and her progeny is the more 

 vigorous. Breeders of Ligurian Queens find difficulty 

 arise in keeping up the pure breed from the frequent 

 mesalliances of their Queens. It is said Drones will fly 

 four miles away from home. If Drones were not bred 

 in large numbers, how poor would be the chance of 

 a successful termination to her majesty's excursion. 

 Should the Queen be unsuccessful, she will go out again 

 and again, sometimes, alas ! failing to find her way back, 

 or perhaps get picked up by a bird ; in 'either case, if the 

 stock has no eggs or sufficiently young larvae, and the 

 state of affairs be not quickly discovered and remedied 

 by the Bee-master, the fate of the colony is settled ; it 

 dwindles and dies. If, on the contrary, the Queen 

 returns impregnated, she in two days usually commences 



her maternal duties, and 

 never more leaves home 

 until she accompanies a 

 swarm and founds a new 

 family. If a Queen Bee 

 be dissected, in her ab- 

 dominal cavity will be 

 found, in juxtaposition, 

 a pair of organs called 

 the " Ovaries " ; these 

 are composed of a mul- 

 titude of tubes styled 

 the " Ovigerous Tubes," 

 all full of eggs in every 



Ovaries of ^ - ,^ r 



Queen Bee. Stage 01 growth, from 



