SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO SWARMING. 129 



her bass note from the top. WILDMAN supposes 

 it to arise from a contest betwixt the queens, 

 about sallying forth ; and endeavours to account 

 for its less frequency before first swarms, from 

 the young chiefs being then in their embryo 

 state. This however is mere hypothesis, and 

 not at all consonant with later discoveries, par- 

 ticularly those of Huber and Dunbar. Fide 

 pages 18 and 22. 



5. Unusual silence in the hive, during which 

 the separatists are supposed to be taking in a 

 cargo of honey before their flight, as a provision 

 against bad weather. Mr. Hunter opened the 

 crops of some bees that remained in the parent 

 hive and the crops of some emigrating bees, 

 when he found the latter quite full, whilst the 

 former contained but a small quantity. 



The above symptoms oftener precede second or 

 third than fast swarms, which latter sometimes 

 issue forth without any previous notice. KEYS 

 speaks so emphatically upon this subject that I 

 shall quote his words. " Although there are no 

 signs that precede first swarms, those, before 

 mentioned, convey to the apiator one certain 

 meaning, and when heard he may be assured 

 that the first or prime swarm has escaped, if 

 that will comfort him." 



The moment before their departure exhibits a 

 05 



