34 miner's AMERICAN 



said, it is supposed that on some occasions, that the 

 worker larvae, situated immediately adjoining the royal 

 cells, may, either by accident, or otherwise, be fed a 

 little of the royal pap, which, not being sufficient to pro- 

 duce queens, and only enough to so far develop their 

 ovaries, as to enable them to lay drone-eggs only. 



It is not probable, even if the above hypothesis be 

 true, that workers would become sufficiently fertile to 

 be able to lay both drone and worker-eggs, by being 

 wholly fed on royal food, since the shape and position 

 of a royal cell, has its peculiar effect upon its tenant, 

 otherwise such cells would not be constructed, as bees 

 do nothing without a good reason. 



A CASE OF RETARDED IMPREGNATION IN THE aUEEN, OR OF 

 FERTILE WORKERS, COMING UNDER THE AUTHOr's OWN 

 OBSERVATION. 



I will now relate what took place under my own im- 

 mediate observation, iu regard to the laying of drone- 

 eggs in one of my hives. 



On examining one of my hives early the present sea- 

 son, (1848) I found a swarm of last year in a very weak 

 condition, not having above two or three hundred bees 

 in it. How this diminution in numbers happened, or 

 what the cause was, I could not imagine ; since the 

 swarm was large, and in good condition apparently, last 

 fall; having filled the hive with comb, and having laid 

 in an abundance of honey for winter consumption. I 

 closely watched this hive, to ascertain whether any of 

 the few bees it contained gathered farina; as that fact 



