74. THE APIARY. 
they leave the hive, they pause a moment, then rise on 
the wing, and face it, describing a small circle at first, 
but increasing as they recede, until an area of several 
-yards has been viewed and marked. After a few excur- 
sions, when surrounding objects have become familiar, 
this precaution is not taken, but they leave in a direct 
line for their destination, returning by their way-marks 
without difficulty. 
MOVING BEES SHORT DISTANCES. 
Very excellent authorities have claimed that bees could 
not be moved less than a mile and a half or two miles, 
without injury, as they would return to their former local- 
ities. Mr. Quinby says : 
«‘There are a great many people who suppose the bee 
knows its hive by a kind of instinct, or is attracted to- 
wards it, like the steel to the magnet. At least they act 
as if they thought so, as they often move their bees a 
few feet or rods, after the location is thus marked, and 
what is the consequence ?—The stocks are materially in- 
jured, and sometimes entirely ruined by loss of bees. Let 
us notice the cause. As I have stated, the bees have 
marked the location. They leave the hive without any 
precaution, as surrounding objects are familiar. They 
return to their old stand and find no home. If there is 
more than one stock, and their own has been removed 
from four to twenty feet, some of the bees may find a 
hive, but are just as liable to enter the wrong one as the 
right. Probably they would not go over twenty feet, and 
very likely not that, unless the new situation was very 
conspicuous. If a person had but one stock, the loss 
would probably be less, as every bee finding a hive, would 
be sure to be right, and none would be killed, as is gener- 
ally the case, when a few enter a strange hive. Some- 
times‘a stock will allow strange bees to unite with them, 
bat it is seldom, unless a large number enters.” 
