Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/65

Rh about the fifth day of her age; and she continues to deposit eggs of the same kind for the succeeding eleven months; after which she commences laying those of males. It is during the depositing of these last, that the Bees are led by their instinct to lay the foundation of royal cells, in which, if the population be abundant, the Queen deposits eggs at intervals of one or two days between each. In the operation of laying, which we have a thousand times witnessed, the Queen puts her head into a cell, and remains in that position about a second or two, as if to ascertain whether it is in a fit state to receive the deposit. She then withdraws her head, curves her body downwards, inserts her abdomen into the cell, and turns half round on herself; having kept this position for a few seconds, she withdraws her body, having in the mean time laid an egg. The egg itself, which is attached to the bottom of the cell by a glutinous matter with which it is imbued, is of a slender oval shape, slightly curved, rather more pointed in the lower end than in the other. She passes on from cell to cell, furnishing each with the germ of a future inhabitant; and during these proceedings, she receives the most marked and affectionate attention from the workers. She is seen continually surrounded by a circle of them, who caress her fondly with their antennæ, and occasionally supply her with food from their probosces. This appearance has given rise to the notion commonly entertained, and asserted even by some Naturalists, that the Queen is followed in her progress through the hive by a