Account of the Quecn Bee. si 
far more tapering than thofe of the other bees : 
Her belly and legs are yellower, and her upper 
parts of a much darker colour than theirs. 
She is alfo furnithed with a fting, though fome 
authors affert that fhe has none, having been 
induced to form this opinion, becaufe fhe is 
extremely pacific; fo much fo, indeed, that 
one may handle her, and even teaze her as 
much as he pleafes, without provoking her 
refentment. For my part, I never could -ex- 
cite a Queen Bee to draw her fting, nor could. 
I even get a fight of it, but when I preffed her 
body. The omnifcient Governor of Nature 
has wifely ordained this majeftic infect to be 
of a pacific difpofition ; for, were fhe other- 
wife,—were fhe, like the other bees, of fo irri- 
table a temper as to draw her fting on every 
occation, and to leave it in the body of her an- 
tagonift, it would prove of dangerous and of- 
ten fatal confequences to the whole hive; for 
every bee, after lofing her fting, dies: within a 
day or two at the utmoft. 
The Queen bee is folemn and calm in her de- 
portment. A young Queen isa great deal {mall- 
er in fize than a full grown one; being not 
much longer than a common. bee, and is there- 
fore not fo eafily obferved when fought for. 
; G 2 When 
