THE BEE. 
s^s 
From the great number of males in each hive to a 
fingle female, the ancients were induced to believe, that 
fecundation among thefe infefts was not accompliffied by 
any aft of copulation, but that it was performed by a 
vivifying liquor (lied upon the ova in the cells : But this 
opinion tvas overthrown, as foon as it was obferved, that 
for nine or ten months in the year there was no male in 
the hive. Swammerdam, who could not obferve that in 
thefe animals there were any parts of generation +, there, 
for fuppofed, that the female was impregnated folely by 
the effluvia of the male bees. The obfervations made by 
Reaumur have removed tho£e difficulties with which this 
part of tiie hiflory of bees feemed to be attended. The 
female, who is furrounded by fo many males, inftead of 
being fatigued and perfecuted by their importunities, is 
obliged to carefs and inflame the paffions of thefe drones, 
who are the moll; cold and indifferent of all tiieir fex. 
She mounts upon their backs, and puffies her gallantry 
to what may be deemed indecency ; at length her allure, 
ments produce the defired effeft, and copulation is per- 
formed. 
The female thus impregnated proceeds to lay her eggs, 
which are round and oblong, lather thicker at the one 
end than the other. Each is depolited in a feparate cell, 
except upon fome occafions, when the induftry of the 
working bees has not been fufficient for the fertility of 
the mother : She then lays two or three in a fingle ceil ; 
the fupernumeraries being afterwards carried away and 
placed by themfelves, as foon as new cells are provided. 
The fingle egg which remains is faftened to the bottom 
of the cell by the firiall end, the only part which feems 
3 T 2 
f Biblia Nature, 
