152 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



nierous, to destroy the whole, the same agitation is 

 caused in her as if she were forcibly prevented, and she 

 becomes* disposed to depart, rather than remain in the 

 midst of her rivals, though her own offspring. 



But though the bees, in one of these cases, appear 

 such unconcerned spectators of the destruction of roy 1 

 personages, or rather, the applauders and inciters of 

 the bloody fact ; and in the other show little respect to 

 tliera, and put such a restraint upon their persons, and 

 so disregard their wishes ; yet when they are once ac- 

 knowledged as governors of the hive, and leaders of 

 the colony, their instinct assumes a new and wonder- 

 ful direction. From this moment they become the 

 " publica cura^'' the objects of constant and universal 

 attention ; and wherever they go, are greeted by a hor 

 mage which evinces the entire devotion of their subr 

 jects. You seemed amused and interested in no slight 

 degree by what I related in a former letter of the 

 marked respect paid by the ants to their females^ ; but 

 this will bear no comparison with that shown by the in- 

 habitants of the hive to their queen. She appears to 

 be the very soul of all their actions, and the centre of 

 their instincts. When they are deprived of her, or of 

 the means of replacing lier, they lose all their activity, 

 and pursue no longer their daily labours. In vain the 

 flowers tempt them with their nectar and ambrosial 

 dust : they collect neither ; they elaborate no wax, and 

 build no cells ; th^y scarcely seem to exist ; and, in- 

 deed, would soon perish, were not the means of restoring 

 their monarch put within tlieir reach. But, if a small 

 piece of comb containing the brood grubs of workers be 

 * See above, p. 56, 



