206 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



and at others is very soon determined : and occasion- 

 ally it happens that both parties, fatigued and despair- 

 ing of victory, give up the contest and fly away. 



But the wars of bees are not confined to single com- 

 bats ; general actions now and then take place between 

 two swarms. This happens when one takes a fancy to 

 a hive that another has pre-occupied. In fine warm 

 weather, strangers, that wish to be received amongst 

 them, meet with but an indifferent welcome, and a 

 bloody battle is the consequence. Reaumur witnessed , 

 one that lasted a whole afternoon, in which many vic- 

 tims fell. In this case the battle is still between indi- 

 viduals, who at one time decide the business within the 

 hive, and at another at some distance without. In the 

 former case the victorious bee flies away, bearing her 

 victim under lier body between her legs, sometimes 

 taking a longer and sometimes a shorter flight before 

 she deposits it upon the ground. — She then takes her 

 repose near the dead body, standing upon lier four an- 

 terior legs, and rubbing the two hinder ones against 

 each other. If the battle is not concluded within the 

 hive, the enemy is carried to a little distance, and then 

 dispatched. 



This strange fury however does not always show 

 itself on this occasion ; for now and then some friendly 

 intercourse seems to take place. Bees, from a hive in 

 Mr. Knight's garden, visited those in that of a cottager, 

 a hundred yards distant, considerably later than their 

 usual time of labour, every bee as it arrived appearing 

 to be questioned. On the tenth morning, however, the 

 intercourse ceased, ending in a furious battle. On 

 another occasion, an intimacy took place between two 



