36 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



the cell thinner by gnawing away part of the wax, 

 scooping it out in waved circles at its edges ; and 

 with so much nicety do they perform this operation, 

 that the cover at last becomes pellucid, owing to its 

 extreme thinness, thus facilitating the exit of the 

 queen. 



After the transformation is thus completed, the 

 young queens would generally immediately emerge 

 from their cells, as workers and drones do; but the 

 former frequently keep the royal infants prisoners 

 for some days, supplying them in the mean time with 

 food through a small opening in the bottom of the 

 cell, through which the confined queen thrusts her 

 proboscis to receive it. 



In rearing queens to supply queenless hives, or to 

 supply artificial swarms, I would recommend the apia- 

 rian to examine carefully, about the seventh or eighth 

 day from the time eggs were given to the colony, 

 and one or two cells will usually be found considera- 

 bly in advance of all the rest. These should be re- 

 moved. If there are still others left in the hive, they 

 may be given to colonies ; but I do not regard them 

 as very reliable, sometimes not being fully developed, 

 having been reared from larva that were too far 

 advanced as workers. Those reared directly from 

 the eggs I regard as being superior in point of devel- 

 opment, and consequently more reliable as prolific 

 queens. This will be discussed at greater length in 

 another place. I should remark, however, that the 

 young queen goes forth from the hive about the 

 second or third day after she emerges from the cell, 



