PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 393 



it all around, except the aperture, to the platform on which it stood, he 

 stuck in the top a piece of iron wire which terminated in a hook, to which 

 he fastened a hair with a small square of very thin paper at the other end ; 

 this was exactly opposite to the aperture, at the distance of about an inch 

 from it. As soon as the ap|)aratus was fixed, the hair with its paper 

 pendulum began to oscillate more or less, the greatest oscillations on both 

 sides being an inch, by admeasurement, from the perpendicular ; if the 

 paper was moved by force to a greater distance, the vibrations did not 

 take place, and the apparatus remained at rest. He then made an open- 

 ing in the top of the hive, and poured in some liquid honey ; soon after, 

 there arose a hum, the movement in the interior increased, and some 

 bees came out. The oscillations of the pendulum upon this became more 

 frequent and intense, and extended to fifteen lines or an inch and a 

 quarter from the perpendicular ; but when the paper was removed to a 

 greater distance from the aperture, it remained at rest. 



Huber, at the proposal of M. de Saussure, in order to ascertain whether 

 artificial ventilators would produce an analogous effect, got a mechanical 

 friend to construct for him a little mill with eighteen sails of tin. He also 

 prepared a large cylindrical vase, into which he could, at an aperture in 

 the box upon which it was fixed, introduce a lighted taper. In one side 

 of this box was another a[)erture to represent that of a hive, but larger. 

 The ventilator was placed below, and luted at the points of contact ; and 

 anemometers were suspended before the aperture. The first experiment 

 was the introduction of the taper, without putting the ventilator in motion. 

 Though the capacity of the vessel was about 3228 cubic inches, the flame 

 soon diminished, and went out in about eight minutes, and the anemo- 

 meters continued motionless. The same experiment was next repeated 

 with the door shut, with precisely the same result. After the air of the 

 vessel had been renewed, the taper was again introduced, and the venti- 

 lator set in motion : immediately, as appeared by the oscillations of the 

 anemometers, two currents of air were established, and the brilliancy of 

 the flame was not diminished during the whole course of the experiment, 

 which might have been prolonged for an indefinite time. A thermo- 

 meter placed in the lower part of the apparatus rose to 112°; and the 

 temperature was evidently still more elevated at the top of the receiver. 



The Creator often has one end in view in the actions of animals (and 

 nothing more conspicuously displays the invisible hand that governs the 

 universe), while the agents themselves have another. This probably is the 

 case in the present instance, since we can scarcely suppose that the bees 

 beat the air with their wings in order to ventilate the iiive, but rather to 

 relieve themselves from some disagreeable sensation which oppresses 

 them. The following experiments prove that one of their objects in this 

 action, as it is with ladies when they use their fans, is to cool themselves 

 when they suffer from too great heat. When Huber once opened the 

 shutter of a glazed hive, so that the solar rays darted upon the combs 

 covered with bees, a humming, the sign of ventilation, soon was heard 

 amongst them, wiiile those which were in the shade remained tranquil. 

 The bees composing the clusters which often are suspended from the hives 

 in summer, wiien they are incommoded by the heat of the sun, fan them- 

 selves with great energy. But if by any means a shadow is cast over any 

 portion of the group, the ventilation ceases there, while it continues in the 



