SWARMING AND HIVING. 147 



them lajing in their supplies, more than two hours before 

 they left. A short time before the swarm rises, a few bees 

 may generally bo seen, sporting in the air, with their heads 

 turned always to the hive, occasionally flying in and out, as 

 though they were impatient for the important event to take 

 place. At length, a very violent agitation commences in 

 the hive : the bees appear almost frantic, whirling around in 

 a circle, which continually enlarges, like the circles made 

 by a stone thrown into still water,. until at last the whole 

 hive is in a state of the greatest ferment, and the bees rush 

 impetuously to the entrance, and pour forth in one steady 

 stream. Not a bee looks behind, but each one pushes 

 straight ahead, as though flying " for dear life," or urged 

 on by some invisible power, in its headlong career. The 

 queen often does not come out, until a large number have 

 left, and she is frequently so heavy, from the large number 

 of eggs in her ovaries, that she falls to the ground, incapa- 

 ble of rising with the colony into the air. 



The bees are very soon aware of her absence, and a 

 most interesting scene may now be witnessed. A diligent 

 search is immediately made for their missing mother ; the 

 swarm scatters in all directions, and I have frequently seen 

 the leaves of the adjoining trees and bushes, almost as thick- 

 ly covered with the anxious explorers, as they are with 

 drops of rain after a copious shower. If she cannot be 

 found, they return to the old hive, though occasionally they 

 attempt to enter some other hive, or join themselves to 

 another swarm if any is still unhived. 



The ringing of bells, and beating of kettles and frying- 

 pans, is one of the good old ways more honored by the 

 breach than the observance ; it may answer a very good 

 purpose in amusing the children, but I believe that as far as 

 the bees are concerned, it is all time thrown away ; and 



