3 *

A Tbettre of Politicd Plying Ixseffs.

It is more than probable , that the old Queen Bees, go forthsometimes with the latter swarm ( whether out of curiosity) orwantonness, or indulger.cy, or dislike of her proper house, orlove to her ancient subjects, I determine not) and this is thecause of the not thriving of many old flocks, after they havecast a second swarm j for although the Bees that are left, bee ina well replenished Hive,and therefore live out the Summer well,and work too, though not with that order and diligence as for-merly , yet will they rarely breed , but by degrees consumeaway , and come to nothing. 1 have exactly viewed diverssuch stocks thai 1 hare taken , and could never finde aQueen Bee among them.

if therefore you perceive a hive, after it hath cast twice, tohave some quantity of Bees, and yet to work negligently, or notto increase in the Spring, suspect them to want a Queen, andsupply, them with one as soon as you can , if no other way, bydriving a poor swarm into them , for which purpose alwayesreserve some..

It hath been a constant tradition,that the Queen Bee hath aspecial guard alwayes waiting on her, and that when stiee goethforth j she is alwayes attended with them.. I have often seenher to go forth, but alwayes without attendance. It may pos-sibly fall out that some Btes may go abroad with her, and someothers return when the comes back to the hive, but never as herspecial guard..

Mt*. Butler faith, If the Queen Bee by her voycc bids them ■«go, they swarm ; this is warily to bee understood, namely ofthe latter swarm onlyfor the first is for ought I could everfinde out, at the will of the Commons; but there may bee atacite consent of the Queen, but not solemnly by voyce, allow-ing their departure as in after swarms. .

And again this is not alwayes true in second swarms, forafter the Queen hath approved of their going forth, yet theywill sometimes refuse, and manifest their' dislike by massacring 'all the Infants of the Royal family. .

I have observed some few Bees in the Spring in every goodHive, with crests, tufts, or tassels on their heads, some yellow,some murrey , in manner of a plume j some standing upr ght,some turning down, but in all other respects like other Honey-Bees. Mr. .