The Swarm 



that shall only be broken on days of su- 

 preme distress, the honey of April is 

 stored, most limpid and perfumed of all, 

 wrapped round with long and magnificent 

 embroidery of gold, whose borders hang 

 stiff and rigid. Still lower the honey of 

 May matures, in great open vats, by whose 

 side watchful cohorts maintain an incessant 

 current of air. In the centre, and far 

 from the light whose diamond rays steal 

 in through the only opening, in the 

 warmest part of the hive, there stands the 

 abode of the future ; here does it sleep, 

 and wake. For this is the royal domain 

 of the brood-cells, set apart for the queen 

 and her acolytes ; about 10,000 cells 

 wherein the eggs repose, 15,000 or 16,000 

 chambers tenanted by larvae, 40,000 dwel- 

 lings inhabited by white nymphs to whom 

 thousands of nurses minister. 1 And fin- 



1 The figures given here are scrupulously exact. 

 They are those of a well-filled hive in full prosperity. 

 4 49 



