GUARDING THE TREASURE 55 



its utmost, are no longer to be tolerated. So 

 long as plenty of stores were coming in, and there 

 was some possibility of their being required in case 

 the issue of a late swarm should render it necessary 

 for a young queen to be mated, their presence was 

 tolerated, but now the fiat goes forth and their 

 expulsion is ordered. 



It is usually in the evening time that this 

 orgie takes place. If one listens close to a hive, 

 one will hear a fresh sound at intervals, some- 

 thing like " B'rr ! — b'rr ! " Almost immediately 

 after, a drone will be seen being pushed out 

 of the hive. Others follow in rapid succession, 

 until there is a crowd of them round trying to 

 force their way in again. It is really comical to 

 watch this spectacle. " B'rr ! " we hear, and 

 a drone appears with a worker on each side of 

 him, dragging him by the wings or legs unmerci- 

 fully to the edge of the alighting board and drop- 

 ping him over. Again one will appear with only 

 a single worker tugging the huge unwieldy form 

 along, regardless of his struggles. 



When all are pushed out, a long line of workers 

 ranges itself in the doorway and resolutely refuses 

 to allow a drone to enter. As fast as they come 

 buzzing up to the entrance they are pushed back 

 again, until, grown weak with this unusual 

 exertion, they fall to the ground, or remain 

 clinging to the sides of the hive. As the chilly 

 night descends upon them, they sink into a torpor, 



