224 BEE-TRUMPETER. 



produced, seemingly, by the vibration of the wings of a single 

 bee. This has been interpreted into an harangue uttered by 

 the young queen, and intended to inspire a portion of the 

 community with courage to go forth, and colonize a new em- ' 

 pire. On the conclusion of this inspiriting address, her tone 

 changing to one of supplication, aided even by groans and 

 lamentation, she has been supposed, turning from the people, 

 to address the queen-mother of the hive, and, as candidate for 

 a new throne, entreat her permission to lead the division 

 about to emigrate. To this effect, at least, is the purport of 

 the royal speech, as translated, certes somewhat freely, by the 

 ear and pen of Butler, who wrote of music as well as of the 

 "Female Monarchic;"* of the latter with such marvellous 

 minuteness as to draw, from one of his admiring readers, the 

 poetical apostrophe before quoted, f to- the effect that he must 

 have been admitted into the counsels of the hive. 



"We are not called upon certainly to give implicit credence 

 to all that this initiate in bee language has imparted of its 

 meaning, nor shall we positively assert, with Godart, till we 

 have ourselves ascertained the fact, that there is in every nest 

 of humble-bees a trumpeter, who at early morn, ascending to 

 its summit, sounds a reveille' with its vibratory wings of a quar- 

 ter of an hour's duration. But although on these points we 

 may at least suspend our judgment, we have plenty of common 

 evidence, plain even to our common perceptions, that insects 



* Female Monarchic of Bees, 1634. f At page 209. 



