THE HONEY-BEE. 
73 
lifeless remains out of tlie hive. There are cases, 
however, in which this destruction of males does 
not take place. “ In hives that have lost their 
queen,” says Huber, “ the males are spared ; and, 
while a savage massacre rages in other hives, they 
here find an asylum. They are tolerated and fed, 
and many are seen even in the middle of January.” 
The cause of this may perhaps bo looked for in the 
additional heat which they would generate in winter ; 
or perhaps they may he preserved for the purpose of 
pairing with a new queen. 
On the Impregnation of the Queen-Bee . — In look- 
ing into a hive in spring or summer, the Queen will 
be seen laying eggs in the cells ; in the smaller cells, 
those of workers, and in the larger those of males or 
drones. These eggs, if examined on the fourth day 
from their being deposited, will be found hatched, 
and a small worm produced, which is floating in a 
whitish liquid, ascertained to be food introduced foi 
the nourishment of the infant brood ; and in due 
time a perfect bee emerges from the cell. But how 
is this living animal generated? The Queen lays 
the egg without doubt, and the insect is evolved 
from it ; but how is the egg fecundated or rendered 
fertile? Has the Queen had personal union with 
the male? No one can speak positively to such a 
fact ; by what other means, then, is this effect pro- 
duced ? 
The impregnation of the Queen-Bee is a branch of 
Natural History which has given rise to more dis- 
cussion than almost ajiy other fact, connected with 
