522 The Outline of Science 



they slink forward, one behind the other, and if the foremost 

 detects anything the least suspicious, he draws nervously back, 

 pulling his 'brave' comrades after him." There are "soldiers" 

 that restore order in the ranks where there is panic; the orders 

 seem to be given through the antennae or by a quivering of 

 the whole body. Professor Bugnion tells of a war which lasted 

 for three days. The Black Termites often wage a bitter battle 

 with the well-known Tailor-ant, (Ecophylla; when the latter draw 

 near the termites squirt full in their faces drops of a secretion 

 or fluid which seems to drive the true Ants almost crazy. 



* 



THE STORY OF BEES 

 The Beehive 



In the Hive Bees (Apis) we have a further illustration of 

 insect communal life. Whatever the nature of the communal 

 life of bees may be, we cannot liken it to that of human society. 

 The one is run on predominantly instinctive lines, the other is 

 predominantly intelligent. 



An element of permanence distinguishes their communities, 

 for many workers as well as the queen survive the winter. To 

 the industry and food-storing habit of the Hive Bee is probably 

 due their complex social life; the storing has enabled the com- 

 munity to survive unfavourable seasons and become permanent. 

 When spring reawakens the earth and the willow-trees are be- 

 decked with catkins, and gorse and violets and primroses send 

 out a fragrant invitation, the bee world resumes its busy life 

 again. The workers set to work to "spring-clean" the hive and 

 build new combs of hexagonal cells to accommodate the eggs 

 the queen has again begun to lay. Some of the workers sally 

 forth to bring in fresh stores of pollen and honey, while others 

 are nurse workers in charge of the fast-filling nurseries. In early 

 summer the hive is a prosperous and busy city, inhabited by 

 three distinct types of individuals. The head of the community 



