The Swarm 



[34] 



As regards this personal affection of 

 which we have spoken, there is one word 

 more to be said. That such affection 



distracted, flies to and fro, hides, and generally com- 

 forts herself as an intruder, thus arousing the suspicions 

 of the bees, which are soon confirmed bv the workers' 

 examination. Mr. Simmins at first completely isolates 

 the queen he intends to introduce, and lets her fast for 

 half an hour. He then lifts a corner of the inner 

 cover of the orphaned hive, and places the strange queen 

 on the top of one of the combs. Her former isolation 

 having terrified her, she is delighted to find herself in 

 the midst of the bees ; and being famished she eagerly 

 accepts the food they offer her. The workers, de- 

 ceived by her assurance, do not examine her, but prob- 

 ably imagine that their old queen has returned, and 

 welcome her joyfully. It would seem, therefore, that, 

 contrary to the opinion of Huber and all other inves- 

 tigators, the bees are not capable of recognising their 

 queen. In any event, the two explanations, which are 

 both equally plausible — though the truth may lurk, 

 perhaps, in a third, that is not yet known to us — 

 only prove once again how complex and obscure is 

 the psychology of the bee. And from this, as from all 



107 



