CHAPTER XX 



THE HONEY-BEE AND OTHER SOCIAL 



ANIMALS 



We have learned (Chapter XVII) of the great struggle 

 going on in the animal world for room and food. We 

 know that each animal has to battle against adverse 

 physical conditions, such as cold and heat, drouth and 

 flood; against other kinds of animals which tr)' to occupy 

 the same region and to eat the same food that it does ; 

 and finall}', with other individuals of its own kind, its own 

 brothers and sisters and cousins indeed, which compete 

 for the room and food that can support but few of them. 

 But in this great threefold struggle some one phase may 

 be much less severe than the others, or, indeed, as occurs 

 in some cases, with individuals of the same kind it may 

 be to a certain extent replaced by a relation of mutual 

 helpfulness. That is, the individuals of a certain species 

 may and do adopt a social or communal life, helping 

 each other to get food, to build homes, and to fight off 

 enemies. Of these social animals the honey-bee is the 

 most familiar and one of the best examples. The ants, 

 too, arc well-known communal animals. 



The life of a honey-bee. — In studying the life of the 

 hone)'-bees one must observe them in the hive as well as 

 in the field. It is therefore highly desirable to have an 

 " observation " hive (fig. 240), i.e., one made with glass 

 sides and glass top, covered with outer wooden sides which 

 are swung on hinges like doors, and « ith the usual remov- 



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