20 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



priate place. It seems they also have the knowledge 

 and ability to rear the brood in such manner as 

 would seem best for the welfare of the colony, either 

 by rearing it all as undeveloped females (common 

 workers), or fully developing a portion thereof and 

 making queens. 



I refer to eggs deposited in worker cells ; those in 

 drone cells are drones, and nothing else. When a 

 swarm issues from a colony, the workers are the first 

 to go forth ; a considerable portion of the swarm 

 generally emerges before the queen takes wing. 

 This rule is deviated from in many instances in after 

 swarms, but I never knew an instance with first 

 swarms. The workers are also the first to select a 

 place to cluster ; and in many cases I have carefully 

 observed to see if the queen was first, or even among 

 the first, to alight ; but as a general thing a consid- 

 erable portion of the swarm would cluster, when her 

 ladyship might be seen alighting in their midst. 



I have known swarms to cluster, and in some cases 

 remain until put into the hive, and then return to 

 the parent stock, when I knew the queen had not 

 left at all, having seen her running round on the 

 alighting board and return into the hive, apparently 

 unable to fly, or unwilling to risk herself on the 

 wing; the bees evidently having done their part, 

 expected the queen to do hers. It is true, however, 

 that in a very few cases I have known the queen to 

 get down in the weeds or grass, being unable to arise 

 and fly again; the worker bees after some time 

 would discover her, and would then cluster upon and 



