ARTIFICIAL SWA14MING. 205 



more deeply among the clustering thousands, and will 

 never use her sting, except when engaged in mortal com- 

 bat with another queen. When two rivals meet, they 

 clinch, at once, with every demonstration of the most 

 vindictive hatred. Why, then, are not both often de- 

 stroyed ? We can never sufficiently admii-e the provision 

 so simple, and yet so effectual, by which such a calamity 

 is prevented. A queen never stings, unless she has such' 

 an advantage that she can cm-ve her body under that of 

 her rival, so as to inflict a deadly wound, without any risk 

 to herself — the moment the positioii of the two combat- 

 ants is such that neither has the advantage, but both are 

 liable to perish, they not only refuse to sting, but disengage 

 themselves, and suspend their conflict for a short time ! 



The following interesting statements were furnished to 

 the New England Farmer (Oct. 1855), by Hon. Simon 

 Brown, Lieutenant-Governor of the Commonwealth of 

 Massachusetts, in 1855. 



"On the I7th of July last, we placed in our dining- 

 room wdndow one of Mr. Langstroth's observing bee-hives, 

 constructed of glass, so that all the operations of the bees 

 could be plainly and conveniently seen. A comb about a 

 foot square was placed in it, containing some brood, with 

 plenty of "workers and drones, but without a queen. The 

 hive was then carefully observed by one of the ladies of 

 the family, who has given us the following account of their 

 doings. 



" ' The first business the bees attended to, was to com- 

 mence cells for a queen, and they prosecuted it with energy 

 for two days. At the end of that time, a queen was taken 

 from another colony and placed with them, upon which 

 they pulled down the cells they had made, in less than 

 half the time it had required to construct them, and then 



