68 THE HISTORY OF BEES. | 
not only to the ancient, but alfo fome modern writers, the 
readers will find, in the fection immediately following. | 
The management of Bees to the greateft advantage, 
particularly their prefervation in hives, at the time of u- 
nion, depending fo much on an ability to difcover and 
feparate this Sovereign from fuch a multitude of fub- 
jects, it is neceflary that I decypher and paint her in fuch, 
plain characters, or difcriminating peculiarities, that ¢- 
very Bee-mafter may the better know her, and more 
readily diftinguifh her from all the reft, and take her from 
among the croud into clofe cuftody. 
Thus the poor Queen becomes a prifoner, and is de- 
prived of all her people and her liberty together. But 
till the owner is enabled by the following marks and 
charaGterifticks, or his own obferyation, thus to diftin- 
- guifh her from the populace , I would not advife him to 
attempt an incorporation, which would be attended with 
fome ill confequences. | ; . 
The Sovereign may be known from all her fubjeéts 
by the following criterions, or marks of diftin@tion, viz. 
by her bulk and ftature ; by her fhape or figure; or by 
her colour arid complexion. ; 
x. By her bulk:and magnitude ; being much larger 
 ¢han the commons, and longer than the drones, and her 
feveral parts in juft proportion ; though fome authors fay 
her wings are fhorter, and others, that they are of the 
fame fize with the commons; they do indeed appear 
fhort, which is owing to ‘the extent of the laft divifion, 
yet, upon the moft accurate and ftrict. examination, it 
appears that thofe authors were miftaken, her wings ex- 
- * geeding 
