FERTILISATION OF QUEENS. 5 



sence at four o'clock, when the sky was heavily clouded 

 and the atmosphere rather cold. Of course the queen 

 and bees found outside the hive vfere admitted every 

 afternoon. This simple experiment fully convinced me 

 that the impulses of a young queen for a mate are very 

 strong and urgent j and vi'hen she fails to find one, the 

 fault is not hers. 



Drones seldom leave their hives but in very fine 

 weather. This fact accounts for the non -impregnation 

 of queens during unfavourable weather. Very cold or 

 stormy weather may, and often does, we daresay, prevent 

 queens from leaving their hives on these errands. Failure 

 is very uncommon in fine weather. About the time her 

 majesty is expected to leave her hive, the drones come out 

 in great force, and make a tremendous noise in front of 

 the hive. By reason' of their number their buzz becomes 

 a roar, and may be heard at a considerable distance from 

 the hive. Last year we happened to hear this well-known 

 sound, and went to see her majesty come out of her hive 

 and go away on her marriage - tour. The hive was no 

 sooner reached than she was seen going into it. She had 

 been abroad before the drones had come out. In about 

 five minutes after her return she came out again, and 

 took wing amid a noisy rabble of drones. 



The statements of some authors about queens selecting 

 their lovers in their hives, and then going away together 

 to make their nuptial couches high up in the air, where 

 no eye may foUow, are mere poetical fancies. When 

 a queen comes out of her hive for this purpose, she 

 comes by herself : she has no favourites, and as readily 

 accepts a mate from another hive or community as 

 from her own. How far she wUl fly in search of a 

 mate is not known. Drones fly great distances from 

 home, and often impregnate queens which they happen 

 to meet. Though there were a great many hives in our 



