600 INSTINCT OF INSECTS. 



the tiles of his house, whence, after remaining a few hours, they were dis- 

 lodged and hived. For many subsequent years, when the hives descended 

 from this stock were about to swarm, a considerable party of scouts were 

 observed for a few days before to be reconnoitering about the old hole 

 under the tiles ; and Mr. Stickney is persuaded that if suffered they would 

 have established themselves there. He is certain that for eight years 

 successively the descendants of the very stock that first took possession of 

 the hole frequented it as above stated, and not those of any other swarms ; 

 having constantly noticed them, and ascertained that they were bees from 

 the original hive by powdering them while about the tiles with yellow 

 ochre, and watching their return. And even at the present time there 

 are still seen every swarming season about the tiles bees, which Mr. 

 Stickney has no doubt are descendants from the original stock. 



Had Dr. Darwin been acquainted with this fact, he would have adduced 

 it as proving that insects can convey traditionary information from one 

 generation to another; and at the first glance the circumstance of the 

 descendants of the same stock retaining a knowledge of the same fact for 

 twenty years, during which period there must have been as many genera- 

 tions of bees, would seem to warrant the inference. But as it is more 

 probable that the party of surveying scouts of the first generation was the 

 next year accompanied by others of a second, who in like manner conducted 

 their brethren of the third, and these last again others of the fourth 

 generation, and so on, — I draw no other conclusion from it than that bees 

 are endowed with memory, which I think it proves most satisfactorily. 



I am, &,c. 



THE END. 



