SYSTEM OF THE ABBE DELLA ROCCA. 123 



accuracy of Huber's experiments, we selected one of our 

 most populous hives, and at the beginning of the season 

 we took out all the combs, (the bees being in one of the 

 hives of our own invention) and after the most minute 

 inspection, we satisfied ourselves, that not a single royal cell 

 was then in the hive. It must be here distinctly understood 

 that we do not mean to say, that there were no old royal 

 cells, as five were distinctly visible ; but we mean to affirm 

 that not one was in existence, from which the queens of the 

 approaching swarm were to originate. Having convinced 

 ourselves of that fact, we examined the hive every day, and 

 a fortnight had scarcely elapsed, before we obtained the 

 object of our researches. We perceived what may be 

 termed the foundation of a royal cell, and on looking into it, 

 the egg was distinctly visible at the bottom of it. At the 

 expiration of the usual period, the cell was completed and 

 closed up, and the observations, which we then made, as 

 will be seen in the sequel opened to us a new field for the 

 prosecution of our researches into the validity of the system 

 as promulgated by Huber, and supposed to be confirmed by 

 Mr. Dunbar. 



The Abbe della Rocca, who is no mean authority on all 

 points relative to the natural history of the bee, is decidedly 

 opposed to the hypothesis of the common bees having the 

 power of generating a queen from a common egg ; and he 

 so far dissents from the generally received opinion, that the 

 queen is never mistaken in the kind of egg that she is about 

 to lay, or that she ever lays an egg in a cell which is not ap- 

 propriate to the particular species that is to emerge from it ; 

 that a strong persuasion rested on his mind, that the queen, 

 independently of the common eggs which she lays during 

 the season, deposits royal eggs even in the cells of the 

 common bees, and that whenever the hive is in want of a 

 queen, the bees construct a royal cell and convey the royal 

 egg to it, in order to rear for themselves a queen. But on 



