528 INSTINCT OF INSECTS. 



in sprinc^ to a window, where in the preceding autumn 

 they had regaled on honey, though none of this sub- 

 stance had been again placed there ^. 



But the most striking fact evincing the memory of 

 these last-mentioned insects has been communicated to 

 me by my intelligent friend Mr. William Stickney, of 

 Ridgemont, Holderness. About twenty years ago, a 

 swarm from one of this gentleman's hives took posses- 

 sion of an opening beneath the tiles of his house, 

 whence, after remaining a few hours, they w ere dis- 

 lodged and hived. For many subsequent years, when 

 the hives descended from this stock were about to swarm, 

 a considerable party of scouts were observed for a few 

 days before to be reconnoitring about the old hole 

 under the tiles ; and Mr. Stickney is persuaded, that 

 if suffered they would have established themselves 

 there. He is certain that for eight years successively 

 the descendants of the very stock that first took posses- 

 sion of the hole frequented it as above stated, and not 

 those of any other swarms ; having constantly noticed 

 them, and ascertained that they were bees from the 

 original hive by powdering them while about the tiles 

 with yellow ochre, and watching their return. And 

 even at the present time there are still seen every 

 swarming season about the tiles, bees, which Mr. Stick- 

 ney has no' doubt are descendants from the original 

 stock. 



Had Dr. Darwin been acquainted with this fact, he 

 would have adduced it as proving that insects can con- 

 vey traditionary information from one generation to 

 another; and at the first glance the circumstance of 

 ' See above, p. 202. 



