284 LABOUR OF BEES NOT INCESSANT. 



the terrible injury she had received. After this, how- 

 ever, I did not see her any more. 



Like many other insects, bees are much affected 



by light. One evening, having to go down to the 



' cellar, I lit a small covered lamp. A bee which was 



out came to it, and, flying round and round like a 



moth, followed me the whole of the way there. 



I often found that if bees which were brought to 

 honey did not return at once, still they would do so a 

 day or two afterwards. For instance, on July 11, 1874, 

 a hot thundery day, and when the bees were much out 

 of humour, I brought twelve bees to some honey : only 

 one came back, and that one only once ; but on the 

 following day several of them returned. 



My bees sometimes ceased work at times when I 

 could not account for their doing so. October 19 was a 

 beautiful, sunshiny, warm day. All the morning the 

 bees were fully active. At 11.25 I brought one to the 

 honeycomb, and she returned at the usual intervals for 

 a couple of hours ; but after that she came no more, nor 

 were there any other bees at work. Yet the weather 

 was lovely, and the hive is so placed as to catch the 

 afternoon sun. 



I have made a few observations to ascertain, if 

 possible, whether the bees generally go to the same 

 part of the hive. Thus, — 



October 5. — I took a bee out of the hive, fed her, 

 and marked her. She went back to the same part. 



October 9. — At 7.15 I took out two bees, fed and 



