10 TREATISE ON THE 
ticipates, though only by a short period, the 
destruction which awaits his race. So early 
as the beginning of August, the Bees, as if 
wishing to apply the preventive check, to a 
superabundant idle population, begin to ma- 
nifest deadly intentions towards them ; and 
the unfortunate victims, as if to derive con- 
solation from one another’s society, or per- 
haps driven together by their iraseible supe- 
riors, may be seen about that period cluster- 
ing closely together in some corner of the 
combs, where they remain without motion, 
and without once venturing to approach the 
provision cells. 
_ Thus weakened by hunger and captivity, 
and disqualified for resistance by the want of 
a sting, they fall an easy prey to their mer- 
ciless assailants ; and a scene of earnage takes 
place which it is diffieult to deseribe. The 
unhappy wretches are seen driven to the 
bottom of the hive, and pursued with such 
fury, that, in spite of their strength, which 
is greatly superior to that of their persecu- 
tors, and which enables them to drag two or 
