- 
Of their Sex, &c. ta 
with the fentiments of many of thefe authors; and leave 
the diligent and ingenious reader to judge for himfelf, 
and adhere to what he apprehends approaches neareft to 
the truth, . 
Several writers are publick advocates for the Drones, 
afcribing to them a principal power and agency in the 
work of generation ; contending for them as the fathers 
of the family, the parents of fo large a progeny. 
There are objections againit this opinion ; and fome 
‘of them of fuch weight, that ] cannot give into their 
‘way of thinking. | 
Firft, becaufe it appears to me an affertion without 
proof, a principle which wants fufficient evidence for it's 
fapport ; ali that thefe gentlemen have been able hitherto’ 
‘to advance in it’s vindication and defence, amounting to 
no more than a st Sin dae and ftrong prefump- 
‘tion, 
Thus have they left us Hick in the dark, and at the 
createft uncertainty, freely and unanimoufly confeffing, 
that no man ever yet faw any fuch thing as copulation 
among them. Which is the argument Ariffotle urges 
againft this method of procreation. 
In the dark-hives indeed it muft be exceeding difficult, 
if not impoffible, to make any fuch difcoveries ; but it 
feems fomewhat ftrange and unaccountable (provided 
this is the way of generation) that for fo many fucceffive 
ages, no perfon by the moft conftant, diligens, ftri@ and 
-curious obfervation, fhould be able at any time to difcern 
it, efpecially fince the invention of tran{parent boxes, or 
vglafs hives, which give us the fayourable opportunity 
E3 of 
