SMELL MEMORY. 



it would be deadened by stopping these, as we defend ourselves 

 from a noisome odour by stopping the nose. Catching several 

 bees he, therefore, held them while he stopped their mouths and 

 probosces with flour-paste, and liberating them when the paste 

 was hardened, he found that they no longer showed any sign of 

 the possession of a sense of smell. They were neither attracted 

 by honey, nor repelled by objects whose odours were known to be 

 most repugnant to them. 



174. Among the substances to whose odour the bee shows the 

 strongest repugnance, is its own poison. This was demonstrated 

 by Huber by very remarkable experiments. Having provoked 

 the insect to put forth its sting, and eject its poison, he presented 

 this offensive juice on the end of a sharp instrument to some 

 worker bees, which were quietly resting at the door of their 

 hive. A general agitation was immediately manifested among 

 them. Some launched themselves on the poisoned instrument, 

 and others fell upon the individual who held it. That it was 

 not the instrument itself which in this case provoked their rage, 

 was proved by the fact, that a similar one, bearing no poison, 

 being presented to them, did not produce any effect. 



175. An inconvenient elevation of temperature and want of ven- 

 tilation will sometimes impel the bees to leave their combs, but if 

 they are excited to remain upon them by the want of feeding, they 

 know how to reconcile the conflicting impulses. In that case they 

 produce coolness and change of air without deserting the provisions 

 which surround them, or the care of their young. A certain num- 

 ber of the insects begin to flap their wings, which are thus used 

 as fans, producing currents of air. But as they are not able to 

 sustain this labour for an indefinite time, they take it by turns, 

 regularly relieving each other. 



To try what the conduct of the bees would be, if by artificial 

 means the ventilation of the hive were so impeded that the usual 

 small number of fanners would not suffice, Huber submitted hives 

 to such unusual conditions, and found that in such cases the 

 number of bees flapping their wings was augmented in the same 

 proportion as the ventilation was impeded, until at length the whole 

 population of the hive were thus occupied. 



176. The antipathy which bees manifest against particular indi- 

 viduals, is generally ascribed to some odour proceeding from their 

 persons to which the insect bears a repugnance. M. de Hafor, of 

 the Grand Duchy of Baden, had been for many years an assiduous 

 cultivator and amateur of bees, and was on such friendly terms 

 with them that he could at all times approach them with impunity. 

 He would, for example, put his fingers among them, select the 

 queen, and taking hold of her, place her on the palm of his 



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