PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 203 



swarms. This happens when one takes a fancy to a hive 

 that another has pre-occupied. In fine warm weather, 

 strangers, that wish to be received amongst them, meet 

 with but an indifferent welcome, and a bloody battle is 

 the consequence. Reaumur witnessed one that lasted a 

 whole afternoon, in which many victims fell. In this case 

 the battle is still between individuals, who at one time de- 

 cide the business within the hive, and at another at some 

 distance without. In the former case the victorious bee 

 flies away, bearing her victim under her body between 

 her legs, sometimes taking a longer and sometimes a 

 shorter flight before she deposits it upon the ground. 

 She then takes her repose near the dead body, standing 

 upon her four anterior legs, and rubbing the two 

 hinder ones against each other. If the battle is not con- 

 cluded within the hive, the enemy is carried to a little 

 distance, and then dispatched. 



This strange fury however does not always show itself 

 on this occasion ; for now and then some friendly inter- 

 course seems to take place. Bees, from a hive in Mr. 

 Knight's garden, visited those in that of a cottager, a 

 hundred yards distant, considerably later than their 

 usual time of labour, every bee as it arrived appearing 

 to be questioned. On the tenth morning, however, the 

 intercourse ceased, ending in a furious battle. On an- 

 other occasion, an intimacy took place between two hives 

 of his own, at twice the distance, which ceased on the 

 fifth day. Sometimes he observed that this communica- 

 tion terminated in the union of two swarms ; as in one 

 instance, where a swarm had taken possession of a hollow 

 tree a , it is probable that the reception of one swarm 

 * F/iilos. Trans. 1807, 234 



