The Swarm 



to and fro in loud lamentation. Seize 

 her, imprison her, take her away from 

 the hive at a time when the bees shall 

 have no hope of filling her place, owing, 

 it may be, to her having left no pre- 

 destined descendants, or to there being 

 no larvae less than three days old (for a 

 special nourishment is capable of trans- 

 forming these into royal nymphs, such 

 being the grand democratic principle of 

 the hive, and a counterpoise to the preroga^ 

 tives of maternal predestination), and then, 

 her loss once known, after two or three 

 hours, perhaps, for the city is vast, work 

 will cease in almost every direction. Trie 

 young will no longer be cared for ; part 

 of the inhabitants will wander in every 

 direction, seeking their mother, in quest 

 of whom others will sally forth from the 

 hive ; the workers engaged in construct- 

 ing the comb will fall asunder and scatter, 

 the foragers no longer will visit the 

 6 81 



