THE PASTORAL BEES. 29 



tornado, when I saw a remnant of the swarm, those, 

 doubtless, that escaped the flood and those that were 

 away when the disaster came, hanging in a small 

 black mass to a branch high up near where their 

 home used to be. They looked forlorn enough. If 

 the queen was saved the remnant probably sought 

 another tree ; otherwise the bees have soon died. 



I have seen bees desert their hive in the spring 

 when it was infested with worms or when the honey 

 was exhausted ; at such times the swarm seems to 

 wander aimlessly, alighting here and there, and per- 

 haps in the end uniting with some other colony. In 

 case of such union, it would be curious to know if 

 negotiations were first opened between the parties, 

 and if the houseless bees are admitted at once to all 

 the rights and franchises of their benefactors. It 

 would be very like the bees to have some preliminary 

 plan and understanding about the matter on both 

 sides. 



Bees will accommodate themselves to almost any 

 quarters, yet no hive seems to please them so well as 

 a section of a hollow tree " gums " as they are 

 called in the South and West where the sweet gum 

 grows. In some European countries the hive is al- 

 ways made from the trunk of a tree, a suitable cavity 

 being formed by boring. The old-fashioned straw 

 hive is picturesque, and a great favorite with the bees 

 also. 



The life of a swarm of bees is like an active and 

 hazardous campaign of an army ; the ranks are being 



