THE BEE. 



by a rudder and compass, governed by the hand of the most con- 

 summate navigator. By what means this is accomplished has- 

 never been explained, but connected with it is an account given 

 in the " Philosophical Transactions " which we cannot refrain from 

 quoting here. "In New England a species of wild hive-bees 

 abounded in the forests about the year 1720. The following was 

 the method practised for discovering their nests and obtaining 

 their honey. The honey-hunters set a plate containing honey or 

 sugar, upon the ground on a clear day. The bees soon discovered 

 and attacked it. Having captured two or three who had thus 

 gorged themselves, the hunter liberated one of them and marked 

 the direction in which it new. He then changed his position, 

 walking in a direction at right angles to the course of the bee to 

 a distance of a few hundred feet, where he liberated another of 

 his little captives, and noted as before the direction of its flight. 

 The point where the two directions thus obtained, intersected, was 

 of course that to which both bees had directed their course, and 

 there the nest was always found." 



159. The industry of the bee may be estimated by the average 

 number of its daily excursions from the hive to collect provisions. 

 According to Reaumur, if the total number of excursions be 

 divided by the total number of bees in a hive, the average number 

 daily made by each bee would be from five to six. But as one- 

 half of the bees are occupied exclusively with the domestic busi- 

 ness of the society, either in nursing and tending the young, 

 packing and storing the provisions, or constructing the combs, 

 the total number of excursions must be divided, not between the 

 whole, but between only half the total number of bees, which 

 would give ten excursions to each individual of the collecting 

 class ; and if the average length of each excursion be taken at 

 three quarters of a mile, this would give the average distance 

 travelled by each collector as fifteen miles ! It is estimated by 

 Kirby that the quantity of ponderable matter thus transported 

 during a season in a single hive would be about 100 Ibs. " What 

 a wonderful idea does this give of the industry and activity of 

 those useful little creatures ! and what a lesson do they read to 

 the members of societies, that have both reason and religion to 

 guide their exertions for the common good! Adorable is that 

 Great Being who has gifted them with instincts which render 

 them as instructive to us, if we will condescend to listen to them, 

 as they are profitable." H 



160. The plants and flowers which form the pasturage of the 

 bees are, in many countries, produced at different places at different 

 seasons of the year ; and where the bees in a particular neigh- 



* Kirby, Int., ii. 155. 

 82 



