EXPERIMENT WITH THE DRONES. 99 



We had once an excellent opportunity of testing the 

 benefit of the foregoing experiment. Walking one day in 

 the fields contiguous to our house, in the month of October, 

 our surprise was great to observe a flight of bees passing at 

 a short distance from us. We knew that it could not be a 

 natural or regular swarm, as the drones in all our hives had 

 long since been killed, and no doubt could be entertained 

 that the same circumstance had taken place in other apiaries. 

 We were therefore convinced that they were some bees, 

 which from some particular circumstances had forsaken 

 their dwelling. It was with great satisfaction that we saw 

 the welcome strangers alight in a body, and hastening home 

 for a hive, we were soon in possession of our unexpected 

 treasure. Our difficulties, however, were now only at their 

 commencement, for in what manner were our new guests to 

 be supported through the winter ? Unfortunately, we had not 

 then in our possession a hive filled with combs, and the 

 season was too far advanced to expect that any combs could 

 be then constructed. By indefatigable attention we were 

 enabled to preserve the bees throughout the winter, and in 

 the spring some combs were constructed. On taking 

 possession of the bees in October, not a single drone was to 

 be found, and we consequently despaired of obtaining any 

 swarms from it. We therefore determined to have recourse 

 to the experiment already stated, and our labours were 

 eventually crowned with success : we introduced about fifty 

 drones, the eggs of the queen were fecundated, and we 

 obtained two swarms from our hive in the course of the 

 summer. We would, however, advise the person undertak- 

 ing this experiment, to move the hive, into which he intro- 

 duces the drones, to some little distance from his apiary, as 

 the drones in their flight on the following day will be apt to 

 return to their parent hive. 



Considering the high and well deserved reputation which 

 Mr. Reaumur enjoys as a naturalist, we cannot refrain 



