THE DRONE. : 79 
183. There is something cruel in the habits of the bee. 
Whenever one of them becomes unable to work from some 
cause or other, if she does not perish in her efforts to go to 
the fields, the other bees drag her out pitilessly ; their love 
being concentrated on the whole family, not ona single 
individual. Yet, when one is hurt, and complains, hundreds 
of others resent the injury and are ready to avenge her. 
184. Notched and ragged wings and shiny bodies, in- 
stead of gray hairs and wrinkled faces, are the signs of old 
age in the bee, indicating that its season of toil will soon be 
over. They appear to die rather suddenly ; and often spend 
their last days, and even their last hours, in useful labors. 
Place yourself before a hive, and see the indefatigable 
energy of these industrious veterans, toiling along with their 
heavy burdens, side by side with their more youthful com- 
peers, and then judge if, while qualified for useful labor, 
you ought ever to surrender yourself to slothful indulgence. 
Let the cheerful hum of their busy old age inspire you 
with better resolutions, and teach you how much nobler it 
is to die with harness on, in the active discharge of the du- 
ties of life. 
Tue Droxes. 
185. The drones are the male bees. They are much 
larger and stouter than either the queen or workers ; although 
their bodies are not quite so long 
as that of the queen. ‘They have 
no sting (78) with which to de- 
fend themselves; and no suitable 
proboscis (48) for gathering 
honey from the flowers ; no baskets 
od on their thighs (59) for holding 
Fig. 81. bee-bread, and no pouches (201) 
on their abdomens for secreting wax. They are, therefore, 
physically disqualified for the ordinary work of the hive. 
