PREFACE. 
Very few words of apology will be needed 
in bringing out another book on the honey bee. 
Already we have a host of classical writers, such 
as Swammerdam, Reaumur, Huber, and others 
who have written on the subject, works of marked 
excellence, and availing themselves of the improve- 
ments in general science in the last century, they 
made many interesting additions to our knowledge on 
the subject. Nevertheless, recent improvements in the 
microscope, and our constantly increasing knowledge, 
reveal new facts in addition to those already ascer- 
tained, frequently pointing to errors which longer 
experience and observation have enabled us to detect. 
As our stock of knowledge increases we find accepted 
theories fading away and giving place to others of a 
different character. During the present century much 
b 
