The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



honey. These also attracted the naturalist's 

 attention; these also provided a protracted 

 test for his ingenuity and patience, and finally 

 rewarded his pains beyond all hopes. 



The following is an interesting description 

 of the naturalist's encounter with a swarm of 

 Bees in the " Sunken Road " while endeav- 

 ouring to observe the installation of the 

 Sitares in the cell of the Anthophora: 



In front of a high expanse of earth a swarm 

 stimulated by the sun, which floods it with light 

 and heat, is dancing a crazy ballet. It is a hover 

 of Anthophorae, a few feet thick and covering an 

 area which matches the sort of house-front formed 

 by the perpendicular soil. From the tumultuous 

 heart of the cloud rises a monotonous, threatening 

 murmur, while the bewildered eye strays through 

 the inextricable evolutions of the eager throng. 

 With the rapidity of a lightning-flash, thousands 

 of Anthophorae are incessantly flying off and scat- 

 tering over the country-side in search of booty; 

 thousands of others also are incessantly arriving, 

 laden with honey or mortar, and keeping up the 

 formidable proportions of the swarm. 



I was at that time something of a novice as re- 

 gards the nature of these insects. 



"Woe," said I to myself, "woe to the reckless 

 wight bold enough to enter the heart of this swarm 

 and, above all, to lay a rash hand upon the dwell- 

 ings under construction! Forthwith surrounded 

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