A Lively Bee Hunt 209 



that is better than man's compass. Some 

 pigeon breeders say that this instinct is 

 located in the large bunches about the ears, 

 for the best homing pigeons are the breeds 

 with the largest bunches. 



" Well, that pigeon set adrift above old 

 ocean doesn't need any landmarks. He just 

 circles about two or three times until some- 

 thing inside him tells him which way to point 

 his bill and then he starts, straight as an arrow 

 he goes, and never once turns to right or left 

 until he drops into the home-cote." 



While Ben had been talking he had re- 

 leased the captive bee, which had flown home. 



When she returned she brought three more 

 bees with her, all of whom we made captive. 



" I guess we have got bees enough by this 

 time and some of them ought to be pretty well 

 loaded up. I'll let out one. Now get your 

 eye on it when it leaves the box and when you 

 see what direction it is going just leg it and 

 chase it clean home." 



If there was any twinkle in Ben's eye when 

 he said these words I did not notice it. So 



