PEEFECT SOCIETIES OP INSECTS. 



141 



after they were deposited in the cells. Of this opinion 

 Maraldi seems to have been the author ; and it was adopted 

 by Mr. Debraw of Cambridge, who asserts that he has seen 

 the smaller males (those that are occasionally produced in cells 

 usually appropriated to workers) introduce their abdomen into 

 cells containing eggs, and fertilise them ; and that the eggs so 

 treated proved fertile, while others that were not remained 

 sterile. The common or large drones, which form the bulk 

 of the male population of the hive, could not be generally 

 destined to this office, since their abdomen, on account of its 

 size, could only be introduced into male and royal cells. 

 Bonnet, however, saw some motions of one of these drones, 

 which, while it passed by those that were empty, appeared to 

 strike with its abdomen the mouth of the cells containing eggs. 1 

 Swammerdam thought that the female was impregnated by 

 effluvia which issued from the male. 2 Reaumur, from some 

 proceedings that he witnessed, was convinced that impregnation 

 took place according to the usual law of nature, and, as he 

 supposed, within the hive. 3 The former part of this opinion 

 Huber has confirmed by indubitable proofs ; but he further 

 discovered that these animals pair abroad, in the air, during 

 the flight of the queen : a fact which renders a large number 

 of males necessary, to ensure her impregnation in due time to 

 lay eggs that will produce workers. 4 Huber also observed 

 those appearances which induced Debraw to adopt the opinion 

 I mentioned just now, and was at first disposed to think them 

 real ; but afterwards, upon a nearer inspection, he discovered 

 that it was an illusion caused by the reflection of the rays of 

 light. 5 



In fine weather the drones, during the warmest part of the 

 day, take their flights ; and it is then that they pair with the 

 queen in mid air, the result being invariably the death of the 

 drone. No one has yet discovered, unless the proceedings 

 observed by Debraw and Bonnet may be so interpreted, that 

 when in the hive they take any share in the business of it, 

 their great employment within doors being to eat. Their life, 

 however, is of very short duration, the eggs that produce 



i Bonnet, x. 259. 

 3 Reaum. v. 503 — . 



2 Bibl. Nat. i. 221. b. ed. Hill. 



4 Huber, i. 24—. 5 Ibid. 37— . 



