HAVE BEES A LANGUAGE? 19 



attack ; one or two of tlie savage creatures were seeu eye- 

 ing the face of the scarecrow, looking for a tender spot 

 on which to dart. In a few days they became as quiet 

 as the rest. 



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 on hearing the watch- 

 word sounded by a single bird, which had 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-masters of extensive experience. 



There is the hum of contentment and the hum of 

 trouble — the hum of peace 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 dance — the buzz of the heavy-laden and the scream 

 of suffocation. The cry of pain from a bee at the door of 

 a hive affects the whole community. 



Where is the bee-keeper who is not acquainted with 

 the sound of bees hent on mischief 2 They have not 

 stung him, but he knows they mean it. Often we have 

 let the bees of a weak hive have the honey of some 

 combs half empty. When no bees have been at work 

 outside, a morsel of comb has been taken to the door of 

 the weak hive ; and as soon as four or six bees have 

 begun to feed on it, they have been carried to stores or 

 combs to be emptied. As soon as these few bees have 

 got home with their booty, the whole hive seemed to be 

 made aware that more might be had, and hundreds of bees 

 belonging to this hive were soon busily carrying it home, 

 before the rest of the hives have known that honey could 

 be had. Bees have a language. 



