Of their Sex, &e. , 79 
why fhould thefe be any objection againft the chriftian 
religion, fo fully attefted by it’s divine author, and con< 
firmed by fo great a number of inconteftible miracles, 
which were his credentials, the evidences of his divine 
miffion, that he really came from God, and was no im- 
poftor or deceiver? one remark more relating to the 
Drones fhall clofe this fe&tion. ' 
If thefe infects (whether males or females) minifter 
nothing towards the multiplication of the fpecies gor we 
allow them not to be the fathers of the family, the pa- 
rents of fo large a progeny: of what ufe or fervice are 
they in the ftate? as nature doth nothing in vain, it is 
but reafonable to fuppofe they have fome a ei 
‘vince, or office appointed for them. 
In anfwer to which many, who have treated on ‘this 
fubjeCt, tell us, they are, by their numbers and bulk'to- 
gether, greatly helpful in hatching oe ‘and ne the 
young brood. 
- But this is not without objections. Hitherto T never 
could obferve any material fervice done to hives or colo- 
lonies by their means. 
It is certain, that feveral fets or broods of young Bees 
are perfected, and engaged in the ufeful and ‘common 
labours, before any of thefe appear in the hive, or have 
an. exiftence ; no Drones being produced till the latter 
end of April, or till AZay; many times not before Fune, 
or ‘Fuly; nor all that fummer in poor and weak dtocks. 
And it is avery frequent and common obfervation, 
and experimentally known, not'to a few, that-confider- 
able numbers are-hatched, and the hives well r ag: 
