ABORTIVE BROOD. 357 



be cut of a comb without endangering those which are 

 contiguous to it, and which may actually contain good and 

 wholesome food. The better plan is to leave the operation 

 to the bees themselves, who will not allow a corrupted 

 nymph to remain in a cell, if they can drag it out. We 

 advise the apiarian to keep a vigilant eye upon the hive, 

 from which the bees are seen to drag the abortive nymphs, 

 for either some radical defect exists within, or the hive has 

 begun to decline. 



Bee bread was formerly considered as partaking of the 

 nature of a disease, owing to the erroneous opinion being 

 circulated by so high an authority as Hunter, that it was 

 the excrement of the bees. A superabundance of it is cer- 

 tainly injurious to the bees, as it occupies those combs 

 which might be filled with either honey or brood ; but as 

 to any positive injury occurring to the bees from its exist- 

 ence, there are no proofs extant. 



