ITALIAN QUEEN BEE 35 



had missed her in a very few moments and 

 in consternation returned to the old spot, 

 where they found my Master had placed a 

 new hive, ours having been moved a short 

 distance to one side as I have intimated. 

 Into that they poured, as anxiously as they 

 had gone out before, and apparently in the 

 greatest haste. My mother was put at the 

 entrance and allowed to crawl from my 

 Master's fingers in and up among her old 

 colonists, but in brand new quarters, with 

 small starters of comb foundation fastened 

 to the top bars of the brood frames, instead 

 of the old combs full of eggs, bees and 

 honey, which were now in my possession. 

 Thus they were obliged to build completely 

 new comb before she could have any cells 

 in which to lay eggs, and the returning field- 

 workers would be obliged to put all the 

 honey they gathered for the present into the 

 pound section boxes in the super or honey 

 crate that formerly was on my hive, but 

 now placed over on hers. This would in- 

 sure a fine harvest of surplus honey for my 



