BEES "SENSE" A CAVITY 183 



fly detects the larva concealed in the wood of 

 the tree, so have bees a like power of finding 

 cavities which from the outside show no indica- 

 tions. 



That this is actually the case I have no 

 doubt whatever, and I think that anyone 

 investigating in the way I have done will come 

 to the same conclusion. 



But first I should say that, in my belief, 

 these " scouts," though possibly belonging to 

 the same hive, are not sent out in connection 

 with the swarm, but are merely insects whose 

 line of flight to the meadows has chanced to 

 carry them over the house-top, where their 

 course has been arrested by a certain sense 

 perception which to these insects indicates a 

 cavity. 



But if after due investigation no means of 

 ingress be discovered the bees abandon the 

 house, though some few find their way 

 through the windows ; the bee, however, has 

 no use for an aperture of the dimensions of a 

 window frame. On the other hand, should a 

 hole be found in the tiles, that particular roof 

 will always attract a certain amount of bees, 

 for these creatures cannot resist exploring a 

 hole which leads to a cavity. 



Seeing that bees are bred and reared in 

 cavities of some description, where, indeed, 



