284 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



which they only filled three-fourths, and yet a body of 

 emigrants took their departure. 



The researches of naturalists, indeed, have discover- 

 ed many curious facts relative to the proceedings of 

 the bees in such cases; but still many things, like the 

 immediate cause of their swarming, remain doubtful 

 or obscure. We have seen that the ants are generally 

 influenced in their change of residence by some 

 individual who has discovered a spot that appears 

 preferable; but authors are by no means agreed 

 whether bees are similarly guided. Dr Warder is of 

 opinion that they always send out scouts to select a 

 suitable place several days before swarming, and 

 infers that their usually clustering together upon 

 a bough soon after their departure arises from their 

 wish to form a united body prior to their last flight. 

 Mr T. A. Knight mentions several circumstances 

 corroborative of this opinion. In one case, he ob- 

 served from twenty to thirty bees paying daily visits 

 to some decayed trees, about a mile distant from his 

 garden; all of them appearing to be busily employed 

 in examining the hollow parts, and particularly the 

 dead knots around them, as if apprehensive that the 

 knots would admit moisture. These surveyors, if 

 such they were, in about a fortnight after were fol- 

 lowed by a large swarm from one of his hives, which 

 was tracked the whole way till it alighted in one of 

 the cavities that had been thus pre-examined, and it 

 was observed to take nearly a direct line from the 

 parent hive to the tree. On another occasion, Mr 

 Knight remarked a number of bees occupying one of 

 the cavities for some time before ; but having ofliered 

 them better accommodation in a hive, they deserted 

 the tree.* 



Dr Evans also mentions an instance in which a 



* Phil. Trans. 1807. 



