TtiE BEE. 
5*9 
■There are, at certain feafons of the year, three kinds 
6f bees in every hive ; the males, the females, and the 
bees without fex. The latter every perfon is acquainted 
with ; their number is beyond comparifon greater than 
that of the other two' kinds. Nature feems to have deftin- 
ed them folely for the purpofe of labour ; and the whole 
drudgery of the hive lies upon them ; hence they have 
properly been termed Working Bees. 
It is only during one or two months of the Cummer,, 
when the hive is mod crcmded, that males are found in 
it ; and even then, they do not amount to a tenth part of 
the whole : They are of fuperior fize, and didinguifliable 
by the charu&ers afterwards to be noticed. During the 
whole courfe of the feafon, except a few days, there is 
Only a lingle female to be difcovered in the tnoft nume- 
rous hive. Her fecundity, however, is fo prodigious, 
that fhe is foon capable of multiplying her family to fuch 
a degree, that the hive can no longer contain it. To her 
the whole fvvarm, amounting from twenty to forty 
thoufand, owe their birth. Her refidence is generally in 
the interior apartments of the lodging ; when fhe {hews 
herfelf, fhe is readily known from her fize, being longer 
Shan even the male bees, but inferior in thicknefs. It is 
this female whom the ancients dignified with the title of 
King of the bees, and whom, with the utmoil propriety, 
they might have denominated then Queen. Front a num- 
ber of well attefled experiments and obfervations, it ap- 
pears that the common bees pay her more than refpedi. 
They continually endeavour to be ufeful to her ; and by 
carrtffing her, and offering her honey, they, feem to an- 
ticipate her wants. Her life is move precious than any 
of 
