
ie CA tae, & as 2. 
e SD Sle Ont 
50 The Hiftory of Brzs 
Bae I muft infert a Paflage, which a 
firt Sight feems to militate againft the re- 
ceived Opinion, of all. the Obferyations I 
have made of their Form of. Government, 
as follows. 
‘Towards the End of March 1743. walk- 
ing at Even-tide in my chief Apiary, I ob- 
ferved at fome Diftance from the Mouth of 
one Hive, (all the other Stocks being within 
. Doors, and in perfect Peace,) a {mall Clufter 
of Bees in fome Commotion, which raifed my 
Curiofity to fee what might be the Occa~- 
' fion, juttly concluding it to be fomething 
uncommon; going directly to the Hive, 
immediately I difcovered, among the Croud, ~ 
a Royal Corpfe carrying forth to Burial. 
The Number of the Mourners attending 
the Funeral did not amount to twenty; I 
took the dead Body from among them, after 
which, in a little Space, they. returned to 
the reft of their Company. 
‘This being a Circumftance, I had never 
met with before, I was in doubt for fome 
Time about the Event. If we,conclude aright 
as to their Form of Government, viz. a pet- 
fect Monarchy ; I apprehended .this. Stock, 
having thus loft their Sovereign, mutt of 
Neceffity mifcarry. On the other hand, ob- 
ferving no Diforder or Confufion among them, 
as. is ufual on the Lofs of the Governour, 
‘I was in Hopes they might be fafe; this 
Hope daily increafed, as by a rice and 
fre- 

vi 
