THE HONEY-BEE 53 



obliquely one behind another, they regulate by 

 the fanning of their wings the ventilation of the 

 hive and drive off the superfluous water in the 

 " nectar " until it obtains the consistency of 

 honey. All this is done, and done well, without 

 guidance, without previous experience and without 

 practice. 



Only after a week or eight days do our young 

 workers emerge into the light, and this great 

 adventure is fearfully and timidly undertaken. 

 Crossing the threshold of the hive, they attempt 

 at first short flights, enlarging them each time, but 

 never do they turn their head in any direction save 

 that of their hive and their home. During their 

 first flight their tracheae their breathing-tubes 

 are for the first time filled, and they now attain 

 their normal figure. Soon, however, they return 

 to resume their household duties, for, like Martha, 

 they are " cumbered about much serving/' Day 

 by day, if the weather be favourable, these trial 

 flights are resumed about noon, until the young 

 workers are well orientated as to the position 

 of their hive amongst surrounding objects, and as 

 a rule many of the younger bees and drones 

 fly together, producing a veritable cloud of fly- 

 ing insects. After another eight or ten days 



