134 A PHILOSOPHER WITH NATURE 



a separation lasting fifteen months. The bees of 

 one colony always recognize each other also, even 

 after prolonged absence, and, although it has not 

 yet been clearly established, there seems to be good 

 reason to believe that they do so principally by the 

 sense of smell, and not by a pass-word or signal, as 

 has been supposed. There is no doubt that bees 

 possess a very keen sense of smell, and they are 

 perhaps guided by it in many ways which it is 

 difficult for us to understand. They evince a very 

 strong dislike to all bad odours, and show a general 

 preference for those smells which are pleasing to us. 

 An amusing instance of the dislike of bees to bad 

 smells came under my notice some years ago. At 

 the time in question there was in my father's garden 

 a plot of early potatoes, some distance in front of a 

 spot where stood several hives. Early in the season 

 the rooks commenced to help themselves to the 

 potatoes, grubbing the young tubers out of the 

 ground, and doing so much mischief that some had 

 to be shot, and the dead body of one was impaled 

 in the middle of the plot as a warning and example 

 to the rest. Soon after this a most unaccountable 

 fury took possession of the bees. No one dared to 

 approach them, for they attacked and instantly 

 put to flight every person or animal which ventured 

 into the garden. This went on for some days, with 

 most unpleasant results, and the bees were fast 

 becoming a nuisance in the neighbourhood, when 

 the mystery was accidentally explained. Some one 

 happening to pass by the impaled rook in the evening 

 discovered the cause and centre of all the mischief. 

 Every exposed part of the poor bird's body, especi- 

 ally about the mouth and eyes, was literally bristling 



