46 miner's AMERICAN 



The only object for which drones are brought into 

 existence is the impregnation of the queen, and if a less 

 number existed, her fecundity would be jeopardized, in 

 the ratio of the decrease. 



IMPREGNATION OPERATIVE FOE LIFE. 



Coition is always effected high on the wing, and when 

 once effected, it is operative for an entire season — even 

 during the entire life of the queen. The cavillers at 

 this theory, attempt to cast ridicule on the hypothesis, 

 of a single impregnation being sufficient for the natural 

 life of the queen ; and, say they, " we admit that if your 

 theory has any ground to stand upon, it is reasonable to 

 suppose, that a single impregnation would suffice for one 

 season, since analogy teaches that ; but how do you sup- 

 pose that an impregnation this spring, effects the queen 

 at her next spring laying ; since the winter months are 

 a season of barrenness with her, and certainly no man 

 in his senses would suppose that the coition of the year 

 before, could possibly have any influence on her at that 

 period ! You may as well say, that the dung-hill fowl 

 has no need of the male after the first impregnation, to 

 render her eggs productive during her whole life !" 



All this is reasonable logic, but it avails nothing in 

 the case before us, since there is so much in the history 

 of the bee, that has no analogous bearing with any other 

 similar matter in animate nature, that we cannot rest 

 any theory solely upon such a basis. 



We must, and do confess, that if any positive proof 

 can be adduced, showing that impregnation is not ef- 



