Marvels of the Universe 681 
invariable policy is to raise, not one new Queen, but several. As many as a dozen queen-cells have 
been observed in a hive just before swarming-time, in varying degrees of progress. Only one Mother 
Bee, however, is allowed to exist in a normal hive. As soon, therefore, as the workers of the colony 
find themselves possessed of a new Queen capable of attending to all a Queen’s duties, they with- 
draw the guards which are always placed around the surplus queen-cells, and allow the new ruler 
to work her natural will upon them. This she does with fierce alacrity, breaking down the cell- 
walls, and putting her royal sisters at once to the sword, 
We must now—supposing the observer, though deeply interested, to have none but a very 
superficial acquaintance with bee-life—look into the brood-chamber of a hive a week or so after the 
new Queen has been perman- 
ently installed, and note what 
plain eyes can see there of 
her surroundings and daily 
activities. 
It is early summer, when 
the honey season is at its 
height, and the fullest demand 
is being made on the Mother 
Bee’s resources. All the brood- 
combs are covered with a busy 
crowd of Worker Bees, and the 
combs themselves are full 
either of young grubs in pro- 
cess of development, of cells 
sealed over and containing the 
nymphs, or of cells, newly 
vacated by their occupants, 
being cleaned out for further 
use; some, indeed, already 
furnished with a second batch ; “ities oe 
8 CESS: cae PLANT OR ANIMAL? ae on 
Over these combs the Queen 
The only English name that has been given to this group of organisms is Slime 
incessantly wanders, and when- Fungus. Some authorities say they are animals, others that they are plants related to 
ever she stops at an empty the Fungus. The mass shown consists of thousands of individuals that have united 
prior to breaking up into dust-like spores. 
cell, thrusting her long body 
down into it to deposit an egg at its base, the Bees in the immediate vicinity at once gather 
round her, forming a complete ring, each Bee having her head ceremoniously turned towards 
the Queen. As soon as the egg is laid and the Queen moves on, this ring breaks up ; but 
it forms again directly she makes her next halt. 
It is generally asserted that the Bees composing the ring are the Queen’s attendants or body- 
guard, and that they keep about her during her egg-laying journeys, alternately driving or leading 
her, and stopping her at each vacant cell in the path. But we now see that this is not so. The 
Bees composing the rings are different Bees in every case. The Queen, in fact, is never, led over 
the comb by one set of attendants, but is merely handed on from group to group in the crowd, each 
making use of her presence as the immediate occasion demands. In this way, day follows day, week 
after week passes ; and whenever we look into the hive, still she is going her unwearied rounds, fed 
and fondled incessantly, the docile servant of all. 
Yet, simple and straightforward as this one duty of the Queen Bee at first sight appeers, a little 
farther study of the matter soon brings us into the midst of a complication of wonders. We see 
