T H E 5 W A P \\ 



in common with all amateur bre-keepers, 

 tiavi more than onzt had imipre^mated 

 queens sent me from Italy ; for the 

 Italian species is more proline, stronger, 

 m.ore acti".'e, and gentler than our own. 

 It is the custom to fonvard them in 

 small, perforated boxes. In these some 

 food is placed, and the queen enclosed, 

 together with a certain numiber of 

 workers, selected as far as possible from 

 among the oldest bees in the hive. -The 

 age of the bee can be readily told by its 

 body, which gradually becomes miore 

 polished, thinner, and almost bald ; and 

 more panicularly by the v.ings, which 

 hard work uses and tears.' It is their 

 mission to feed the queen during the 

 journey, to tend her and g^uard her. 

 [62] 



