NATURAL SWARMING. 55 



alighting she may be the first, or the cluster may form 

 without her being there. If, however, she does not join 

 soon, the Bees will scatter again and seek her. Often, 

 when full of eggs, she is so heavy, that a lohg flight is 

 impossible to her, and she falls to the ground, where the 

 Bees will probably find her. Should the Queen be lost, 

 the bereaved colony will exhibit the greatest agitation. 

 Bees will be running about the entrance and up the sides 

 of the hive searching everywhere for their beloved sove- 

 reign. This commotion is very noticeable the morning 

 following the loss, while other colonies are quiet ; after 

 a day or two they become resigned. Once out, the Bees 

 scatter themselves in the air like countless stars in the 

 firmament; they dash hither and thither, whirling about 

 with a pleasant noisy roar that may be heard at some 

 distance ; the whole atmosphere seems alive with Bees 

 passing and repassing. They must now be attentively 

 watched, when they will probably be found gradually con- 

 verging together and settling down in one mass on some 

 neighbouring bush or tree ; although they will often, 

 apparently not feeling satisfied with the home neighbour- 

 hood, fly far away, when the owner stands a good chance 

 of losing them altogether. It is said that throwing up 

 sand or dirt, flashing a mirror, or firing a gun amongst 

 them, will often cause them to come down, but if these 

 means fail, the owner has no resource but to keep his 

 eyes and legs in the greatest activity, and follow the 

 swarm until it settles. Seldom a neighbour will refuse 

 a civil request to be allowed to enter his premises to 

 reclaim an errant swarm, and the law of England is, that 

 a right of property in Bees can be claimed so long as the 

 swarm has been kept in sight, and the owner has the 

 power to follow them on any man's land, with the proviso 

 that compensation shall be made for any damage that he 



