338 BIUTISH BEES. 



elevation, spread out to a distant horizon, which many 

 of the more venturous spirits amongst them, urged by 

 the teeming increase of their compatriots, have already 

 traversed, and who themselves are now rejoicing in the 

 estabhshment of offshoots, which speedily rival, in suc- 

 cessful fruitfulness, the wide-branched productiveness of 

 the parent stock. 



This is strictly the history of the hive, and the paral- 

 lelism is complete, even to the conveyance with them of 

 the preliminary needful stores. Before a swarm issues 

 from the hive, some fly forth to select a dwelling-place, 

 and return, it is presumed, to make their report. 



The population of the hive becoming so dense that 

 there is no longer room for the free and unrestrained 

 circulation of the ordinary processes of the community, 

 and so hot from the inconvenient accumulation of such 

 numbers, — for they extend sometimes to as many as 

 fifty thousand, — instinct prompts a portion of the commu- 

 nity to migrate. This disposition is further promoted 

 by the progressive, or completed development of some of 

 the young queens. The inveterate and internecine ani- 

 mosity of these — anticipated rivalry, suggesting, it is 

 surmised, the murderous desire, but being prevented from 

 its indulgence by the defensive guardianship of several 

 of the workers — urges the old queen to abandon at this 

 conjuncture her royal metropolis. The inclination to do 

 so, it would appear, is already foreseen by a very large 

 body of her subjects, for if her departure be delayed by 

 her successor's protracted incapacity for undertaking 

 the sovereign rule, the intending emigrants, having al- 

 ready abandoned all the labours of their old domi- 

 cile preparatory to their issuing forth, will cluster in 

 groups about the bee board until she is ready to emerge. 



