53 miner's AMERICAN 



is continued through August. 1 have this day (August 

 23d, 1848) seen many drones about my hives, and still 

 under na " peculiar circumstances." 



The great slaughter has generally been consummated 

 among the tenants of my apiary ; yet scattering drones 

 are found here and there that have escaped an unnatu- 

 ral death. I am fully aw^are of the "peculiar circum- 

 stances," to vsfhich Dr. Bevan refers, but I think that 

 author is in error, when he says, that drones are never 

 to be seen after the middle of August, unless under pe- 

 culiar circumstances. He should have put it one month 

 later. 



It will be seen that the appearance of the great body 

 of the drones is coeval with swarming, and their disap- 

 pearance as a body, when the swarming season is ter- 

 minated. Now, admitting that their sole use, is the im- 

 pregnation of the young queens, that issue with the 

 swarms, — is it possible for them to appear at a more 

 appropriate period, or leave at a season that would be 

 better for the prosperity of the colony? Since. they 

 must live on .the stores gathered by the workers, they 

 should not appear before the time of actual requirement; 

 and when their services can be dispensed with, they 

 should not remain a day to consume the food that is 

 gathered with so much toil and industry. Man, with 

 all his wisdon, could not better this wonderful operation 

 of nature ! Had I the direction of the production of 

 drones, I should say, " let them appear in force from the 

 20th of May to the 1st of June" — precisely the time 

 that they do appear. On the first week in July, I should 



