MIGRATIONS OF BEES. 285 



swarm made its way either over the tops of some very 

 high houses, or through several winding streets, to an 

 old house in the centre of Shrewsbury, and passing 

 through an aperture in the wood-work to a room on 

 the hrst floor, were there hived by the family. In 

 another case, he had permitted a hive, whose tenants 

 had died in the winter, to remain upon the stand till 

 spring, when he observed several bees paying it daily 

 visits, and busily employed within, but leaving it at 

 the close of evening. These, he infers, were the 

 precursors of a swarm which took possession of it in 

 the following June.*^ 



Reaumur, on the other hand, looks upon these 

 opinions as altogether fabulous; since, if the bee- 

 queen is thus provided with spies and quarter- 

 masters, he thinks them very ignorant of their 

 duties, — at least the choice of a place does but small 

 credit to their foresight, — as they for the most part 

 fix upon the bough of a tree, where they are exposed to 

 all the vicissitudes of the weather. Mr T. A. Knight 

 seems to think, however, that their settling on the 

 branch of a tree is nothing more than a resting place, 

 where the whole may rendezvous, and that this is 

 previously fixed upon by the scouts as well as the 

 spot intended for their final establishment. But 

 Reaumur mentions a lact which will not at all accord 

 with this, namely, that upon whatever branch or 

 other place they thus alight, combs are always found 

 to be commenced, even though their stay may be 

 very short; which proves, he thinks, that they in- 

 tended it for a permanent abode. Were they left to 

 themselves, indeed, they would not remain there; but 

 they would only leave it when, upon trial, they found 

 it inconvenient, from being too hot or too cold, or ex- 

 posed to rain and wind."!" 



* The Bees, a Poem; Notes. 

 t Meirjoires, v, 621. 



