AS THE BEE FLIES 167 



set the box down on a big rock where it would 

 show up well, laid a handkerchief beside it, 

 drew off the glass, and crouched. A bunch of 

 excited bees burst out and away, without 

 noticing their change of place. &quot; They 11 never 

 find their way back there,&quot; said Jonathan 

 regretfully; &quot;they ll go straight back to the 

 Sharon lot.&quot; 



But there were others in the box, still feed 

 ing, who had not been disturbed by the move, 

 and these he touched with honey drops. They 

 staggered off, one by one, orienting them 

 selves properly as they rose, and taking the 

 same old line off to the westward. This was 

 disappointing. We had hoped to see them 

 turn back, showing that we had passed their 

 home tree. However, there was nothing to do 

 but sit and wait for them. In six minutes they 

 began to come back, in twos and threes 

 evidently the honey drops on their shoulders 

 had told the hive a sufficiently alluring story. 

 Again we waited until the box was well filled 

 with them, then closed it and went on west 

 ward. Two more moves brought us to a half- 

 cleared ridge from which we could see out 

 across country. To the westward, and sadly 



