OR, MANUAIy OF tun APIARY. 77 



times, as in bees (Fig. 3, 4), the eyes are hairy, the hairs aris- 

 ing from between the facets. These hairs are protective, and 

 very likely tactile. Usually the eyes are naked. The number 

 of simple eyes which form the compound eye is often pro- 

 digious. There may be 25,000 in a single compound eye. 

 There are 4,000 or 5,000 in the worker-bee. 



The compound eyes are motionless, but from their size and 

 sub-spherical shape they give quite a range of vision. It is 

 not likely that they are capable of adjustment to accord with 

 different distances, and it has been supposed, from the direct, 

 darting flight of bees to their hives, and the awkward work 

 they make in finding a hive when moved only a short distance, 

 that their eyes are best suited to long vision. 



Sir John L,ubbock has proved, by some interesting experi- 

 ments with strips of colored paper, that bees can distinguish 

 colors. Honey was placed on a blue strip, beside several 

 others of various colors. In the absence of the bees he changed 

 the position of this strip, and upon their return the bees went 

 to the blue strip rather than to the old position. Our practical 

 apiarists have long been aware of this fact, and have con- 

 formed their practice to this knowledge, in giving a variety of 

 colors to their hives. Apiarists have frequently noted that 

 bees have a rare faculty of marking positions, but for slight 

 distances their sense of color will correct mistakes which would 

 occur if position alone were their guide. Platean argues that 

 insects are little guided by color, as they find flowers with no 

 color, or the color obscured. This does not prove that color 

 is not an aid, but that another sense — evidently of smell — 

 supplements the sense of sight. 



Lubbock's experiments prove that ants and wasps also 

 distinguish colors. This is doubtless true of all insects that 

 love sweets and are attracted by flowers. I have noticed a 

 curious blunder made by bees in case of two houses which are 

 just alike, but five rods apart. Honey placed on one porch is 

 scarce found by bees before the corresponding porch of the 

 other house will be swarming with bees also, though no honey 

 is near it. The bees are simply fooled. This experiment has 

 been tried several times, so there can be no mistake. It shows 

 that sight, not mere position, nor yet odor, is guide, even at 



