34 INHABITANTS OF THE HIVE. 



Their patience in observation and experiment 

 was most remarkable. On one occasion they looked 

 at and examined every single bee in a hive to find 

 out something they wanted to know. At another 

 time for days, and perhaps months, they would watch, 

 observe, and make experiments to discover, if pos- 

 sible, the truth respecting some one little thing which 

 they did not understand. At another time they 

 w.ould invent some clever contrivance by which they 

 could see exactly what the bees were doing inside 

 the hive. 



But I cannot now tell of all these things. I now 

 chiefly point you to Huber, not only as an observer 

 of bees, but that you may see in him an example of 

 courage under difficulties, and how patience per- 

 severance and ingenuity can accomplish great things ; 

 and how it is possible, even with such an affliction as 

 total blindness, not only to be resigned, content, and 

 happy, but also to live a life of usefulness. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE INHABITANTS OF THE HIVE.— INTRODUCTORY. 



Since Ruber's time great advances have been made 

 in the knowledge of bees, as of everything else. It 

 has been, as we know, an age of discoveries. Steam, 

 for instance, and its marvellous powers, applied to 

 railroads, machinery, and ships, has brought about a 

 change which to our forefathers would have seemed 



