Their Method of Generation, 97 
tion now mentioned; yet the thing is true in fact, and 
may be accounted for. | | 
It is alfo an uncertainty what numbers of thefe are 
bred in a fingle hive or colony. Dr. Butler + tells usy 
he once took up eight of thefe together brought out of 
the hive, when twoat leaft were gone forth with their 
{warms, and that in 1633. as he received it from a good 
hand, there were bred in one hive no lefs than feventeen, 
I dare not deny the truth of the report, but take the 
liberty to obferve, that fome circumftances in the {tory 
make it (with me) the lefs credible; for inftance, that 
two went out with the firft or prime fwarm; which I 
never found, unlefs once or twice in forty years; five 
brought out dead before the fecond fwarm rofe, with 
which five more were brought forth; and the fame num= 
ber brought out dead the next day ; and yet one contie 
nued calling the day following. I only note, it is not 
ufual with the Bees to expel the royal iffue, till after the 
fwarms are all come forth; nor are they fo long in ex- 
pelling thefe fupernumeraries ; the doom being once 
pafled, the execution is quickly accomplifhed. 
It is above twenty years ago fince one of my colonies 
rofe contrary to expectation ; but I prefently found it was 
entirely owing to my own mifmanagement and neglect, 
in not fupplying them time enough with another b.x, 
About ten days after, the caft arofe, which I prefently 
returned to the colony, and which I was very fenfible 
would greatly fuffer by taken away from it fuch a body, 
after the {warm was gone. After they were thus return- 
G ed, 
4 De, Butler, 9. 4: | 
