The Life of the Bee 
When the queen has become com- 
pletely sterile, the bees will rear a certain 
number of royal princesses to fill her place. 
But what becomes of the old sovereign? 
As to this we have no precise knowledge ; 
but it has happened, at times, that apia- 
rists have found a magnificent queen, in 
‘the flower of her age, on the central comb 
of the hive; and in some obscure corner, 
right at the back, the gaunt, decrepit “ old 
mistress,” as they call her in Normandy. 
In such cases it would seem that the bees 
have to exercise the greatest care to pro- 
tect her from the hatred of the vigorous 
rival who longs for her death; for queen 
hates queen so fiercely that two who might 
happen to be under the same roof would 
immediately fly at each other. It would be 
pleasant to believe that the bees are thus 
providing their ancient sovereign with a 
humble shelter in a remote corner of the 
city, where she may end her days in peace. 
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