The Life of the Bee 



We need not concern ourselves with 

 this incomplete attempt of mine, for many 

 other curious traits compel us to recognise 

 the existence among the bees of spiritual 

 communications that go beyond a mere 

 " yes " or " no," and that are manifest in 

 cases where mere example or gesture 

 would not be sufficient. Of such, for 

 instance, are the remarkable harmony of 

 their work in the hive, the extraordinary 

 division of labour, the regularity with 

 which one worker will take the place of 

 another, etc. I have often marked bees 

 that went foraging in the morning, and 

 found that, in the afternoon, unless flowers 

 were specially abundant, they would be 

 engaged in heating and fanning the brood- 

 cells, or perhaps would form part of the 

 mysterious, motionless curtain in whose 

 midst the wax-makers and sculptors would 

 be at work. Similarly I have noticed 

 that workers whom I have seen gathcr- 

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