ring almost flat. In these were worms that had not received the
royal treatment; but as they had lived in the vicinity of the worms
destined for replacing the queens, it was very interesting to follow
their history, and necessary to watch the moment of their last
transformation. I removed the nineteen cells into a grated box, which
was introduced among the bees. I also removed the royal cells, for it
was of great importance, that the queens they would produce should not
disturb or derange the result of the experiment. But here another
precaution was also requisite. It was to be feared, that the bees being
deprived of the produce of their labour, and the object of their hope
might be totally discouraged; therefore, I supplied them with another
piece of comb, containing the brood of workers, reserving power to
destroy the young brood when necessary. This plan succeeded admirably.
The bees, in bestowing all their attention on these last worms, forgot
those that had been removed.

When the moment of transformation of the nymphs in the nineteen cells
arrived, I examined the grated box frequently every day, and at length
found six bees exactly similar to _common bees_. The worms of the
remaining thirteen had perished without changing.

The portion of brood comb that had been put into the hive to prevent the
discouragement of the bees was then removed. I put aside the queens
produced in the royal cells; and having painted the thorax of the six
bees red, and amputated the right antenna, I transferred the whole six
into the hive, where they were well received.

You easily conceive my object, Sir, in this course of observations. I
knew there was neither a large nor small queen in the hive: therefore,
if, in the sequel, I should find new laid eggs in the combs, how very
probable must it be that they had been produced by some of the six bees?
But, to attain absolute certainty, it was necessary to take them in the
act of laying. Some ineffaceable mark was also required for
distinguishing them in particular.

This proceeding was attended with the most ample success. We soon found
eggs in the hive; their number increased daily; and their worms were all
drones. But a long interval elapsed before we could take the bees that
laid them. At length, by means of assiduity and perseverance, we
perceived one introducing the posterior part into a cell; we opened the
hive, and caught the bee: We saw the egg it had deposited, and by the
colou