artificial swarming. 
205 
more deeply among the clustering thousands, and will 
never use her sting, except when engaged in mortal com¬ 
bat with another queen. When two rivals meet, they 
clinch, at once, with every demonstration of the most 
vindictive hatred. Why, then, are not both often de¬ 
stroyed ? We can never sufficiently admire the provision 
so simple, and yet so effectual, by which such a calamity 
is prevented. A queen never stings, unless she has such 
an advantage that she can curve her body under that of 
her rival, so as to inflict a deadly wound, without any risk 
to herself—the moment the position of the two combat¬ 
ants is such that neither has the advantage, but both are 
liable to perish, they not only refuse to sting, but disengage 
themselves, and suspend their conflict for a short time! 
The following interesting statements were furnished to 
the New England Farmer { Oct. 1855), by Hon. Simon 
Brown, Lieutenant-Governor of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts, in 1855. 
“On the 17th of July last, we placed in our dining¬ 
room window one of Mr. Langstroth’s observing bee-hives, 
constructed of glass, so that all the operations of the bees 
could be plainly and conveniently seen. A comb about a 
foot square was placed in it, containing some brood, with 
plenty of workers and drones, but without a queen. The 
hive was then carefully observed by one of the ladies of 
the family, who has given us the following account of their 
doings. 
“ ‘ The first business the bees attended to, was to com¬ 
mence cells for a queen, and they prosecuted it with energy 
for two days. At the end of that time, a queen was taken 
from another colony and placed with them, upon which 
they pulled down the cells they had made, in less than 
half the time it had required to construct them, and then 
