BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 
147 
reference to the development of queens ; but he left others still unsolved. The sub- 
ject has recently acquired new importance from the discoveries as to parthenogene- 
sis and alternate generation. It appeared not improbable, that the unexplained facts 
in the development of the honey bee might throw light on these subjects, and in turn 
receive elucidation. In the course of investigation, new difficulties presented them- 
selves, aud it was several years before I arrived at any definite results. During all 
this time a Silesian clergyman, Pastor Dziersen, was engaged in similar investiga- 
tion, ami met with the same difiiculties. At the last meeting of ihe British Associa- 
tion at Glasgow, I gave the results of my observations up to that time. They were, 
however, incomplete, and there were still some points that required confirmation 
before the theory 1 was disposed to adopt could be established. I had the benefit 
of the discussion and hints of some of the most distinguished physiologists, and, 
among the rest, Professor Kolliker, whose profound histological researches enabled 
him to give suggestions of great value in prosecuting the enquiry. The points were 
to be determined by nice microscopic observations on the ova of the bee ; but the 
ova of this family of insects present peculiar difficulties, difficulties so great indeed, 
that Leuckart was bafiled in all his attempts to determine the character of the 
micropylar apparatus. The opaque nature of the integuments presents great 
difficulty in investigating the contents, and marking the embryological develop- 
ment. While engaged in these enquiries, the book of Siebold, professor of phys- 
iology at Munich, appeared. In this work there is an account of the reasearches 
of Pastor Dziersen, who was arrested in his researches by the want of microscopic 
apparatus of sufficient power to determine the points of difficulty that presented 
themselves to him. Siebold had heard of his observations, and paid him a visit 
with a view of solving the difficulties by means of his microscope. He saw that the 
determination of the points in question would throw a flood of light on more gene- 
ral physiological problems. After making a few observations he came to the very 
startling conclusions which have been pretty generally accepted. In these conclu- 
sions I do not concur, and I have subsequently directed my researches to such cru- 
cial experiments as might finally settle the question. 
One of the most startling facts in the history of. the honey bee, is, that when the 
queen dies there is the power of converting a neuter bee into a queen. The neuter 
must be taken while yet a worm, and by proper care and nursuig, the plebeian off- 
spring becomes a portly queen. When" this fact was first discovered by Shirach^ 
it was received with incredulity by the greatest physologists of the time. It was 
held that such a power would be miraculous, and could not, therefore, for a moment 
be entertained. Many competent observers refused to look at the fact, and it was 
therefore long before it was received into science as an undoubted truth. Huber 
has the merit of putting it beyond all doubt. 
This power, however, was considered an abnormal one, and rarely brought 
