HISTORY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 15 



another place) ; hence I think facts will justify me in 

 believing, 



First. That no sovereignty is exercised by the 

 queen over the other bees in the colony. 



Second. That the entire economy of the colony is 

 directed and executed by the worker bees, including, 

 to a very considerable extent, the actions of the 

 queen. 



Third. The only necessity for the presence of the 

 quffen is to supply the colony with eggs. 



Fourth. That the time of laying eggs, and the 

 number required at any given period, is controlled 

 by the workers, and not by the queen. 



Fifth. That no eggs are deposited in the queen 

 cells by queens. 



Sixth. That no homage or filial affection is ren- 

 dered or manifested for the queen by the workers, 

 other than from the instinct of self-preservation. 



NO SOVEREIGNTY EXERCISED BY THE QUEEN UPON THE 

 COLONY. 



ISo doubt I will be pronounced heterodox by many, 

 and especially by cotemporary authors and their ad- 

 herents, who have made the sovereignty of the 

 queen and the homage and filial affection rendered 

 her by her loving subjects, a theme over which they 

 have become very eloquent, and even romantic. 

 This course on the part of authors tends, in my opin- 

 ion, to continue and perpetuate in a modified form 

 that mystery which has for ages surrounded and ob- 

 scured bees and bee-keeping, and no doubt in many 



