Of the Killing of Drones. 183 
times kill them in a more tedious and linger- 
ing, but no lefs effectual way, by banithing 
them from their granaries of honey; upon 
which the drones retreat in great numbers to 
the ftool and the under edges of the hive ; and 
fometimes, though rarely, I have even feen 
them come to the outfide of the hive, in {mall 
clufters. When thus exiled, they foon become 
very dull and lifelefs, and at laft die for want of 
food, Upon lifting up a hive from the ftool, 
I have obferved numbers of them fitting clofe 
upon it, with hardly three or four common 
bees among them, and on fuch occafions I 
have trode to death forty, or more of them, at 
once, with my foot. But, without lifting the 
hive, 
diately laid freth eggs, in the drone cells, and the common bees 
again carefully reared them up te maturity. 
' Whenever, therefore, the young drones are torn out of their 
cells before {warming time, in bad weather, the bees cught im- 
mediately to be fed, which will prevent them from defpairine, 
and fave the lives of the young drones. 
It is alfo neceflary to mention, that if the weather be bad for 
" two or three days, after a new {warm is introduced into an empty 
hive, the bees fhould be fed and encouraged by a little honey 5 
as, in fuch cafes, I have frequently feen them, when long con- 
fined, not only foon difcouraged, but fome of them die ; where- 
as, by being. carefully fed, they are not only kept in good 
fpirits, but will, with greater chearfulnefs, embrace the frft fa- 
vourable moment for refuming their labours. 
