Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/95

Rh existed originally in the common bee as well as in the mother-bee, but the confined limits of its cell, and the want of the peculiar food provided for the royal race prevented its developement." The proceedings of the bees in order to supply the loss of their Queen, are extremely interesting. In about twenty-four hours they are aware of the misfortune that has befallen them, and, without loss of time, they set about repairing the disaster. They fix upon a worm not more than three days old, demolish the three contiguous cells, and raise around it a regular cylindrical inclosure. At the end of three days, the workers change the direction of the cell, which has hitherto been horizontal, into a perpendicular position, working downwards till it assume the appearance of a stalactite. In due time it is sealed, and the larva undergoes its metamorphosis into a royal nymph. Huber gives a detail of some interesting experiments on this head, the substance only of which we can present to our readers. He deprived a hive of its Queen, and put into it some pieces of comb containing worker eggs. The same day several cells were enlarged by the bees, and converted into royal cells, and the larvæ supplied with a profusion of jelly. He then removed these worms from the royal cells, and substituted for them as many common worms from workers' cells. The bees did not seem aware of the change, they watched over the new worms as intently as over those chosen by themselves; they continued enlarging the cells, and closed them at the usual time. At the proper time, two Queens were hatched, almost