HAVE BEES A LANGUAGE? 35 



We have been told that a vicious, kicking horse is cured 

 by hanging a bag of hay at his heels in the stall. It is 

 tit for tat ; the more he kicks the bag the more it molests 

 him, tiU his strength is exhausted. His vice leaves him, 

 and the hostler is allowed to do as he likes, and the bag to 

 dangle at his heels. The bee-keeper may place a provok- 

 ing handkerchief or two in the hands of the scarecrow. 



HAVE BEES A LANGUAGE? 



To he sure they have. Who has not seen a flock of 

 rooks or crows feeding quietly in a green or ploughed field 

 rise on wing as a black cloud, in the twinkling of an eye, 

 on hearing the watchword sounded by a single bird, which 

 has seen apparent or possible danger near ? So bees have 

 a language well understood by themselves ; and, we might 

 venture to say, pretty well known by bee-keepers of exten- 

 sive experience. 



There is the hum of contentment and the hum of trouble 

 — ^the hum of peace and the hum of war — the hum of 

 attack and the hum of defence — the hum of plenty and 

 the buzz of starvation — the hum of joy and the roar of 

 grief — the cry of pain and the music of their winter's 

 sunshine-dance — ^the buzz of the heavy-laden and the 

 scream of suffocation. 



Where is the bee-keeper who is not acquainted with the 

 sound of bees hent on mischief? They have not stung 

 him, but he knows they mean it. Sometimes we have 

 been wishful to let the bees of a weak hive have the 

 honey of some combs half empty. When no bees were 

 at work outside, a morsel of comb has been taken to the 

 door of this weak hive ; and as soon as foru; or six bees 



