of the males. There are frequently fifteen hundred or two
thousand in a hive; and, according to Swammerdam, it is necessary they
should be numerous, that the emanation proceeding from them may have an
intensity or energy sufficient to effect impregnation.

Though M. de Reaumur has refuted this hypothesis by just and conclusive
reasoning, he has failed to make the sole experiment that could support
or overturn it. This was to confine all the drones of a hive in a tin
case, perforated with minute holes, which might allow the emanation of
the odour to escape, but prevent the organs of generation from passing
through. Then, this case should have been placed in a hive well
inhabited, but completely deprived of males, both of large and small
size, and the consequence attended to. It is evident, had the queen laid
eggs after matters were thus disposed, that Swammerdam's hypothesis
would have acquired probability; and on the contrary it would have been
confuted had she produced no eggs, or only sterile ones. However the
experiment has been made by us, and the queen remained barren;
therefore, it is undoubted, that the emanation of the odour of the males
does not impregnate bees.

M. de Reaumur was of a different opinion. He thought that the queen's
fecundation followed actual copulation. He confined several drones in a
glass vessel along with a virgin queen: he saw the female make many
advances to the males; but, unable to observe any union so intimate
that it could be denominated copulation, he leaves the question
undecided. We have repeated this experiment: we have frequently confined
virgin queens with drones of all ages: we have done so at every season,
and witnessed all their advances and solicitations to the males: we have
even believed we saw a kind of union between them, but so short and
imperfect that it was unlikely to effect impregnation. Yet, to neglect
nothing, we confined the virgin queen, that had suffered the approaches
of the male, to her hive. During a month that her imprisonment
continued, she did not lay a single egg; therefore, these momentary
junctions do not accomplish fecundation.

In the _Contemplation de la Nature_, you have cited the observations of
the English naturalist Mr Debraw. They appear correct, and at last to
elucidate the mystery. Favoured by chance, the observer one day
perceived at the bottom of cells containing eggs, a whitish fluid,
apparently spermatic, at least, very different from t