CH. I.] THE HIVE BEE. 29 



wards of thirty bees. Some of these, approaching 

 nearer than others, licked her with their trunks ; 

 others extended this organ filled witli honey for her 

 to sip : sometimes I saw her stop to partake of the 

 food ; at other times she sucked while in motion. 



"For several hours, consecutively, I observed 

 this insect, and always saw her surrounded by bees 

 who appeared anxious to render her good offices." 



The farther detail of the " History of the Divided 

 Swarm" is equally instructive. It should be ob- 

 served, that the little glass hive in which was placed 

 the mother, or queen, contained only about a fifth 

 part of the original swarm, which had been divided 

 on a Saturday. On the Sunday, the bees seemed 

 discouraged, went out into the fields, and came back, 

 bringing with them very little material. On the 

 Monday, they laboured rather more assiduously, as, 

 in six hours, they had formed a little comb contain- 

 ing sixteen or eighteen cells ; but at two o'clock of 

 the same day they quitted the hive. Reaumur, 

 however, once more enclosed them in it. On the 

 Tuesday, they remained profoundly still; and al- 

 though the sun was warm, and the time of the day 

 (about eleven) that at which the hive presents the 

 busiest scene, they were resting in groups. All this 

 seemed to prove that they were not content with 

 their lodging. They had a queen, and the materials 

 for building, and yet not a cell was constructed. In 

 a few moments, while Reaumur was pondering on 

 the motives of these insects, or rather on the ob- 

 stacles which contravened their instincts the queen 

 was seen on the floor of the hive ; a dozen common 

 bees instantly came buzzing around her, the hum 

 increased, and the whole hive appeared shortly in a 

 state of great agitation. Little divisions were 

 formed, one or two workers going out, were fol- 

 lowed by the queen, and then the whole left the 

 glass hive for the second time. 



According to their usual custom, they flew round 

 C2 



