16 OVARIES OF THE WORKING BEES. 



informed by Huber, that, independently of the drones, there 

 are imprimis, working bees, which are divided into two 

 important classes, viz. nurse bees and wax workers; 

 but the most extraordinary and marvellous feature in the 

 nature of the latter is, that although they make the combs, 

 still they make no wax— a contradiction, which it would 

 puzzle Huber himself, and all his adherents, with Mr. Ren- 

 nie at their head, to solve satisfactorily. It has the same 

 relation with truth, as if he had informed us, that although 

 the silkworm spins its cocoon, still it makes no silk. These 

 working bees, however, according to Huber, may be con- 

 sidered in the character of masons or bricklayers, to whom 

 the materials for the construction of their works are brought 

 by other labourers. We shall, however, have occasion to 

 enter more fully into this subject, when we come to treat of 

 the construction of the combs. 



Consistently with the authority of Huber, we are further 

 taught to believe that the entire race of workers are females, 

 and that these procreating workers lay none but male eggs. 

 Here we are admitted to a new insight into the natural 

 history of the bee ; for, according to this system, we have 

 twelve or fifteen thousand females in a hive, all laying male 

 eggs, although Huber designedly forgets, at the same time, 

 to inform us, what is the real produce of those eggs, or in 

 what manner they are fecundated. He, however, does in- 

 form us that these procreating workers possess ovaries, and 

 that in their nature, they resemble the queens, whose fecun- 

 dation has been retarded. The result of this system, there- 

 fore, is as follows ; — In the first place, we have a female 

 insect, self-fecundated, or what is still more preposterous 

 and unnatural, fecundated by an exterior principle, emanat- 

 ing from a female itself! ! a female fecundating a female ! !! 

 Is it not to be deplored that a doctrine of this kind should 

 meet with any advocates in the present enlightened state of 

 human knowledge ? 



