SIK JOHN LUBBOCK ON BEES AND WASPS. 127 



queen in relation to the colony, which thus resumed its ordinary 

 condition, and found itself in a position to repel the invaders. 

 However this may be, the observation of Gelien, though curious 

 and interesting, scarcely seems to bear out the conclusion he has 

 drawn from it. 



So far as my own observations go, though bees habitually know 

 and return to their own hive, still, if placed on the alighting- 

 board of another, they enter it without molestation. Thus : — 



On May 4 I put a strange bee into a hive at 2 o'clock. 

 She remained in till 2.20, when she came out, but entered again 

 directly. I was away most of the afternoon, but returned at 

 5.30 ; at six she came out of the hive, but soon returned ; and 

 after that I saw no more of her. 



May 12. A beautiful day, and the bees very active. I placed 

 twelve marked bees on the alighting-board of a neighbouring 

 hive. They all went in ; but before evening ten had returned 

 home. 



May 13. Again put twelve marked bees on the alighting-boards* 

 of another nest ; eleven went in. The following day I found that 

 seven had returned home ; the other five I could not see. 



May 17. Took a bee and, after feeding her and marking her 

 white, put her to a hive next but one to her own at 4.18. She 

 went in. 



4.22. Came out and went in again. 



4.29. Came out. I fed her and sent her back. 



4.35. Came out. Took a little flight and came back. 4.45 



went in, but returned. 4.52. Went in. 



4.53. Came out. 4.56. „ 



4.57. „ 4.58. 

 5. 1. „ , took another little flight, and returned. I 



fed her again. 5.25. Went in again. 



5.28. Came out again. 5.29. „ 



5.31. „ 5.33. 



5.36. „ 5.40. 



5.46. Shut her and the others in with a piece of note-paper. 



6.36. One of the bees had eaten its way through. I opened 

 the door ; and several, including the white one, came out 

 directly. Till 6.50 she kept on going in and out every 

 minute or two. Hardly any bees were flying, only a 

 few standing at the doors of most of the hives. At 7.20 

 she was still at the hive-door. 



