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100 thorax or imprisoned in a queen trap, but never under any circumstances should she be seized by the abdomen. (Plate XVI, Queen trap.)

CLIPPING THE QUEEN'S WINGS

This does not mean cutting off all four of the wings, but that the wings on one side should be clipped, leaving stubs not more than an eighth of an inch long. Various devices have been invented to aid clumsy hands in cutting off the royal petticoats. One, the Monette queen-clipping device, is a little cone-shaped cage made of wire laid in spirals. She goes into this cage head first and the door is shut behind her. Then the scissors are slipped between the spirals at the proper point and the deed is done. Another simple device is a bit of section-board whittled in the shape of a tiny bootjack with a rubber band stretched rather tightly across the prongs. The forks are placed across the queen so that the rubber presses against the thorax, thus pinning her fast to the comb while she is barbered. The only skill needed in this device is in fixing the tension of the rubber band so that it will be sufficient to hold her majesty fast, and yet not stiff enough to hurt her. Our invariable plan is as follows: After the queen is discovered, we hold the brood frame in one hand, pick up her royal highness in the other most gently, then still more gently set the frame down, leaning it against the hive; then, holding her royal person firmly but carefully in our own unworthy thumb and fingers, clip her wings with presuming scissors; then,