yy THE HISTORY OF BEES. 
out by the commons perifh without doors, as is eafy to 
obferve in or about your apiary, and adjacent parts. 
How defective this author’s acquaintance was with our 
infects appears by thefe inftances, befides many mote. 
To return to the argument. 
That thefe infects fhould continue in a ftate of preg- - 
nancy, for fo many months, and then produce young, 
and feveral broods fucceflively, one after another, and 
this without the prefence and concurrence of the male, 
is to me (I profefs) a myftery, unaccountable and un- 
intelligible; not to fay impoffible, Since fo many ge- 
nerations are bred before the Drones do appear, it is not 
poflible they fhould be either males or females, . 
That fuch an impoffibility may more fully appear, 
and fo give the argument the greater ftrength and force, 
I remark, that to my own certain knowledge, the Bees 
fometimes breed all the fummer feafon without Drones, , 
Several poor and week ftocks, which have but few Bees, 
and but little honey, have not any Drones among them 
all the feafon ; and yet thefe fhall encreafe, profper, and 
breed Drones the following fummer. ey 
‘This is what I have many times obferved, know it by 
sy own experience to be true in fact, and as fuch I pub- 
lith it to the world, and for proof, I will give my readers 
only one inftance inftead of a multitude, | 
Once J had a ftock of Bees, which not only bred 
great numbers all the fpring-time, but alfo fwarmed 
without any Drones, as I was fully aflured from the 
mot ftriét and conftant obfervation. Had there been 
one fingle Drone in it, my eye or ear would certainly 
have difcovered him. , The 
