CH. IV.] THE HIVE BEE. 69 



its instinctive habits perpetuated. While the meta- 

 morphosis of the young queens is proceeding-, each 

 cell is sedulously surrounded with a guard. 



As soon as the worm is transformed into a nymph, 

 and not before, the old queen becomes infuriated. 

 She rushes towards the royal cells, and instantly be- 

 gins to tear them open. The guards make way for 

 her, and allow her to do what she pleases. As the 

 cells, however, are considerably thicker than those 

 of the common bee, she soon exhausts herself by her 

 labour, and generally, after she has opened one or 

 two of them, and most barbarously murdered her 

 own offspring, she languidly attempts to gnaw at a 

 third. The sight of these cells agitates her to such 

 a degree, that she runs about the hive in a state of de- 

 lirium. This excitement she soon communicates to 

 the workers by touching their antennae, and, after 

 scampering about in all directions, a great portion of 

 them, accompanied by their old queen, rush out of 

 the hive to seek another home. In eveiy instance 

 it is the old queen which leads the first swarm. Ex- 

 perience enables the apiarists to foretel this event : 

 for, on the evening previous to swarming, the bees 

 often suddenly leave off'their labours, as if aware of 

 the approaching change ; while a few scouts are sent 

 out in search of a spot fit to receive the new colony. 

 Something very like concerted action and foresight 

 is evident in these proceedings. But after every 

 preliminary step for departure has been taken, it fre- 

 quently happens that a cloud, obscuring the sun, will 

 put an end to their plan, and cause them to return 

 peaceably to the hive. Instinct here is so closely 

 allied to reason, that it is difficult to mark the distinc- 

 tion. If it were blind impulse that drove them out 

 of their hive, why do they change their purpose ? 

 Nay, farther, like reasoning beings capable of erring, 

 they sometimes make a false judgment, and after 

 hesitating, actually do swarm, and are caught in the 

 so much dreaded shower. 



