ORGANS OF THE DRONE. 211 



tude of a rencontre, the fewer excursions with the 

 object of mating will be necessary. The natural 

 check is the loss which the horde of consumers entails, 

 causing the colonies in which the instinct is most 

 highly developed to die out in times of scarcity, or 

 during the winter. 



It is interesting to note, that the very causes which 

 have led to a development of drones disadvantageous 

 to the species, has also produced an instinct for their 

 destruction so soon as any chance of further normal 

 need of fertilisation has ceased for the season. These 

 pleasure-loving and lazy creatures thus come under 

 a general proscription when honey, or, rather, food, 

 is no longer yielded abundantly, for their evil day 

 may be put off indefinitely, by giving their stock a 

 constant supply ; and even sometimes when the 

 edict has gone forth for their destruction, a favour- 

 able turn in the weather, increasing the honey yield, 

 will lead to their re-admission. But no sooner does 

 income fall below expenditure, than their nursing 

 sisters turn their executioners, usually by dragging 

 them from the hive, biting at the insertion of the 

 wing. The drones, strong for their especial work, 

 are, after all, as tender as they are defenceless, and 

 but little exposure and abstinence is required to 

 terminate their being. So thorough is the war of 

 extermination, that no age is spared; even drone 

 eggs are devoured, the larvae have their juices sucked, 

 and their " remains " carried out: a fate in which the 

 chrysalids are made to take part, the maxim for the 

 moment being, " He that will not work, neither shall 



he eat." 



T 2 



