THE BEE-KEEPERS" REVIEW 349 



berian coffee trees were started in the greenhouse. On the under 

 side of the leaves of these coft'ee trees there exist at the bases oi 

 certain of the leaf ribs some very minute, nectar-secreting glands. 

 The ants soon found this out and sipped the nectar. Then the idea 

 occurred to some clever ant that these nectar glands would be the 

 best place in the world for mealy bugs to live and grow fat, and 

 they would in consequence secrete a great deal more nectar than 

 they would if they lived on other parts of the leaf. 



So conservative, however, is your scientist, that Dr. Howard 

 devotes some space to a serious consideration of Bethe's theory of 

 reflex action which explicitly denies the existence of any psychic 

 quality in insects. 



"But the nectar glands were too small to accommodate even 

 one good sized mealy bug. So the word was passed around and the 

 ants gnawed the edges of the gland and enlarged it so that it would 

 accommodate a good sized mealy bug w^hich was carried to it. 

 Doubtless to the delight of the ants, the result was as we may im- 

 agine it to have been anticipated. The mealy bug thrived exceed- 

 ingly. The gland was enlarged still further and a whole family of 

 mealy bugs was raised in the same hole. Thus a custom grew up 

 and many such greatly enlarged glands were found after a few 

 months. Here was an ant, then, apparently taking advantage of an 

 opportunity which was new not only to the experience of the individ- 

 ual, but new to the experience of the race, and if we adopt the most 

 reasonable of the definitions of instinct here seems to have been 

 displayed positive intelligence of a high order." 



The foregoing incident so circumstantially related by this noted 

 scientist is quite in harmony w^ith many similar phenomena which 

 have come under the observation of those who have made special 

 studies of the social hymenoptera. It will be noted that in this 

 incident we have Romanes' definition of reason again verv clearly 

 outlined. 



BEE SCOUTS. 



Xo fact of novel character seems more clearly established in 

 connection with apiculture than the occasional phenomena of scout- 

 ing parties of bees seeking and preparing a future home for an 

 outgoing swarm. This has been so frequently verified that it is no 

 longer seriously in question. Numerous instances of this kind have 

 fallen under the personal observation of the WTiter, so completely 

 verified as to leave no question as to the fact. In the summer of 

 1907 at the country home of the writer, where a large apiary was 

 maintained, eighteen swarms of stray bees hived themselves. In 

 every case these were preceded from one to three days (usually the 

 latter period) by parties of scout bees who busied themselves in 

 house-cleaning and preparing for the coming of the swarm. The 



