18 
The fecundity of the queen is surprising. Swam- 
merdam affirms, that she contains fifty thousand 
eggs ; and some authors advance that she may be 
the mother of one hundred thousand bees in one 
season. She is marked by peculiarities in addi- 
tion to her propagating young, of the most con- 
spicuous description. She has every attention 
paid her that her situation demands. Groups of 
the workers constantly encircle her ; they brush 
and lick her limbs, feed her honey ; whenever she 
moves they accompany her; and, according to 
the united sentiments of all, who have studied the 
nature of bees, pay her what would be real hom- 
age, could we allow them the prerogative of un- 
derstanding. In short, the only security of the 
workers, is the permanent existence of a queen. 
THE WORKING BEES, OR NEUTERS. 
The natural history of the bee furnishes much 
useful instruction to the human mind. The means 
which the Almighty has chosen for the preserva- 
tion of bees, is particularly observable. 
TJie mothers, which in almost all other instan- 
ces are the watchful and tender nurses of their 
young, we find in this instance, only give them 
birth. The duty of rearing is committed to sub- 
stitutes, the workers ; and they are as affectionate 
towards the young of their species, as real mothers 
of other animals. The workers have been sup- 
posed by some to belong to neither sex ; but Reim, 
Huber, and others, by particular experiments, con- 
firmed the fact that some of that class may lay 
fertile eggs, which produce male bees only. 
