412 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 



the interior. The ordinary place of ventilation is on 

 the board ; those outside of the entrance have their 

 heads towards it ; those within have them in the oppo- 

 site direction. 



* We may affirm that they arrange themselves re- 

 gularly to ventilate more at ease, thus forming files, 

 which terminate at the entrance, and sometimes dis- 

 posed like so many diverging rays. This order is 

 not uniform, but is probably owing to the necessity 

 for the ventilating bees giving way to those going 

 and coming, whose rapid course compels them to 

 range themselves in a file, to avoid being hurt or 

 overthrown every instant. 



Sometimes above twenty bees ventilate at the- 

 bottom of a hive, at other times their number is 

 more circumscribed, and their employment of various 

 duration. We have seen them engaged in it during 

 twenty-five minutes, only taking breath, as it were, 

 by the shortest interruption of the vibration. On 

 ceasing, they are succeeded by others, so that there 

 is never any intermission of the buzzing of a popu- 

 lous hive. 



f If under the necessity of ventilating during 

 winter, being then united near the centre of the mass 

 towards the top of their dwelling, doubtless the bees 1 

 perform this important function among vacuities of 

 the irregular combs, where there is room for their 

 wings to expand, as at least half an inch is requisite 

 for them to play freely. 



* The ventilation of the bees, or the buzzing 

 which denotes it, seems to me more active during 

 winter than at any other time. It was easy to prove 

 that this operation established a current of air ; for 

 anemometers of light paper or cotton, hung by a 

 thread, were impelled towards the entrance and re- 

 pelled from it with equal rapidity. The action on 

 them never was entirely interrupted, and its force 



