^44 THE BBE. 



in various ways. He divided a swarm, leaving the queen 

 bee, with one part, and leaving the other part without a 

 female. Both |)arts were placed in commodious hives, 

 but those without a queen appeared to surrender them- 

 selves to indolence and despair. The brightest day could 

 lure but kw of them to the fields. Those who went, re- 

 turned with no stores to the hive ; their only object appear- 

 ed to be, to satisfy the immediate cravings of hunger. 

 Inaction and famine spread fatal diseases tlirough their 

 desolate dwelling, and every morning found the bottom of 

 the hive covered with the lifeless remains of those who 

 had fallen during the night. Daily their numbers dimin- 

 ished, and at the close of three weeks scarcely one thou- 

 sand were left alive, and the whole of these were one 

 morning found dead in the bottom of the hive. There 

 is something truly tragical in their mournful history. 



That part of the swarm however with whom the queen 

 bee was left, immediately commenced persevering and 

 vigorous efforts in the construction of cells for the young 

 and for depositing honey. The laborers were continual- 

 ly returning with their little thighs laden with the rich 

 treasure, and tlie whole hive assumed the aspect of cheer- 

 fulness and of thriving industry. The prospect of off- 

 spring appeared to animate all. From repeated experi- 

 ments of this nature Reaumur concludes, that * we are 

 only sure of one principle of action among bees — the love 

 for their queen, or rather the numerous posterity to which 

 she is to give birth. Each bee is actuated either by a sen- 

 sation which has in view the welfare of all, or by the love 

 of posterity. Whether they construct cells or most care- 

 fully polish them, or labor to gather a harvest of honey, 

 it is never directly for themselves. This may appear 

 somewhat paradoxical to those who have remarked that 

 at the end of the winter, the bees consume the honey 

 they had stored up in the spring and summer. But the 

 experiments just detailed show, that the moment they 

 lose the hope of a numerous progeny, they cease to gath- 

 er the food which is necessary for their own preservation ; 



physics, have given him a high rank among the literati of the 

 world. He died 1757. 



