298 INSECT LIFE 



XXI 



the property of another. Perhaps she had been 

 storing it since the previous evening. Towards ten 

 o'clock, at the hottest time, suddenly the proprietor 

 arrived. Her rights as first occupier were inscribed 

 as far as I was concerned in irrefutable characters in 

 white chalk on her thorax. Here was one of my 

 travellers come back. 



Over waves of corn, over fields of red sainfoin, 

 she had accomplished the four kilometres, and re- 

 turned to her nest after collecting booty on the way, 

 for she came, — worthy creature that she was ! — all 

 yellow underneath with pollen. To return from the 

 verge of the horizon was a marvel, but to do so with 

 a well-furnished pollen brush was really sublime 

 economy ! A journey, even if compulsory, is always 

 for a bee an opportunity of collecting food. She 

 found the stranger in her nest. " What's all this ? 

 You just wait ! " and fell furiously on the other, who 

 perhaps had thought no wrong. Then there were 

 hot pursuits through the air. From time to time 

 the two hovered almost motionless, facing one 

 another with a couple of inches between them, 

 doubtless measuring each other with their eyes, 

 and humming abuse at one another. Sometimes 

 one, sometimes the other alighted on the nest in 

 question. I expected to see a wrestle, and stings 

 used ; but I was mistaken. The duties of maternity 

 spoke too imperiously to allow them to risk life, and 

 wipe out the injury in a mortal duel. All was 

 limited to hostile demonstrations and a few tussles 

 leading to nothing. 



However, the proprietor seemed to draw redoubled 

 courage and strength from consciousness of her 



