5X2 
THE J32K, 
enemies, whofe hoflilities are conflantly provoked by the 
honey and wax. 
The fling of the bee is alfo ufed for another purpofe, 
the propriety of which we are not fo well able to vindi- 
cate. At a certain time, they are bufy from morning to 
night in no other employment than maffacring their af- 
fociates. The males, it feems, after the female is fecun- 
dated, become ufelefs, and even offenfive to the reft of the 
hive. The working bees, who had formerly been their 
nurfes, and hitherto had lived with them in the belt un- 
demanding, all at once break loofe upon them with un- 
relenting fury, and in two or three days deftroy the whole 
in one general carnage +. 
Of the reafons alleged by the working bees for this 
maffxcre, we are altogether ignorant ; we know not upon 
what claim their power of life and death over the males 
is founded, farther than that nature feems to have grant- 
ed fuch a right, by giving them power to exercife it. 
Thefe, however, are not the only combats in which the 
bees are engaged : The working bees of the fame hive 
often quarrel, and challenge each other to battle. Long 
do they ftruggle in defence and attack, like two fkilful 
pugilifts, the one endeavouring to find a place in the 
fcaly body of his adverfary into which he may thruft his 
fling, and the other as fludioufly warding off the blow. 
The firft wound that takes place puts an end to the en- 
gagement ; and the victorious bee walks off, leaving his 
adverfary to expire in . the duff. Sometimes three or 
four attack a fingle bee, without any defign upon his life, 
but with a view to force him to difgorge his honey ; and 
as 
f Virgil was acquainted with this peculiarity. Fucos a prefapibus ar~ 
sent ignavum pecus. iEn. Lib. ii. 
