go THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 
the hive was at first a voluntary one. This, carried 
on from generation to generation, would react on 
the physical organism until use became second 
nature, and finally the present condition was 
reached, It is a fact that the bee is now incapable 
of voiding its excreta within the hive, or when 
at rest. The muscles involved can come into 
action only during, or immediately after, vigorous 
flight. In the winter, when long spells of cold 
occur, not a bee leaves the hive perhaps for weeks 
together; but an hour’s warm sunshine will in- 
fallibly bring the whole company out in a little 
eddying crowd about the hive, and then the 
necessary action of nature can readily be seen. 
These cleansing flights occur on all practicable 
occasions, and fulfil a double purpose; for when 
the cluster forms again, it will be between combs 
where the stores are unexploited, and the old, steady, 
upward feeding-march begins again in a new 
place. In extraordinary seasons, when the cold 
weather is much prolonged, the population of a 
hive may die of starvation within reach of plenty, 
no opportunity for these flights having presented 
itself, and the cluster therefore not having left its 
original station. And here the bee is plainly the 
_ victim of her own advanced acumen. Instinct 
~ would never have led her into such a foolish 
plight ; but reason, being liable to err, errs here 
egregiously. 
The comparison of a modern beehive with a 
