PLACING QUEENS IN NESTS 139 



attempts were a failure ; but a successful one was 

 finally made, and the result is shown in the frontis- 

 piece. During the long ordeal, which lasted two 

 hours, the queen took wing and flew back to her 

 domicile four times. Each time I caught her in my 

 net, and on the last two occasions she was quite 

 pleased to find herself confined therein, having 

 quickly learnt that this was the prelude to coming 

 back to her nest, and she showed great eagerness 

 to find her brood when she was placed on the 

 photographing table, knowing perfectly well that 

 it was there. Her coat was a little dusty, and she 

 allowed me to brush it clean with a camel's hair 

 brush as she sat on the brood, just before her 

 picture was taken. 



This nest eventually developed into a very 

 populous colony. 



No doubt by taking various precautions, which 

 could be ascertained by experiment, in placing 

 queens in empty nests, the proportion of successes 

 could be much increased. 



COMPLETE DOMESTICATION 



A domestic animal is one that passes its whole 

 existence under the control of man. By controlling 

 the pairing of domestic animals many useful and 

 ornamental breeds of them have been produced. 

 The honey-bee is not completely domesticated, for 

 mating takes place in the air at some distance from 

 the hive, and cannot be controlled in the ordinary 



