THE DRONE. 



85 



organ torn from the drone, and still adhering to her body. If 

 it were not for this arrangement, her spermatheca could not 

 be filled, unless she remained so long in the air with the drone, 

 as to incur a very great risk of being devoured by birds. In 

 one instance, some days after the impregnation of a queen, we 

 found the male organ, in a dried state, adhering so firmly to 

 her body, that it could not be removed without tearmg her to 

 pieces. 



Fig. 37. 



HEAD OF DE0NT3. 



(Magnifled. After Barbd.) 



189. The number of drones in a hive is often very great, 

 amounting not merely to hundreds, but sometimes to thousands. 

 As a single one will impregnate a queen for life, it would 

 seem that only a few should be reared. But as sexual inter- 

 course always takes place high up in the air, the young queens 



