S8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN 



something like a great hoarse flapping of 

 wings down at the entrance, and as it came 

 up it sounded to me like someone rat- 

 tling bones that had leather strips bound 

 to them to deaden the noise as they struck 

 each other. The tread of some people's 

 feet appeared heavy, as if they had burdock 

 burrs on the soles of them, and again I heard 

 that fearsome, imperious "Bosh, Bosh" and 

 was frightened. But in a little while I 

 heard my relatives talking again about re- 

 leasing me, saying that although several 

 days sometimes elapsed after a swarm had 

 issued before a new Queen was ready to 

 emerge, I was mature, self-reliant, beauti- 

 ful to look upon, and the sooner I was placed 

 in charge the better for the welfare of the 

 colony, considerably reduced in numbers as 

 it now was. After some further whisper- 

 ing, and standing stock still on the lid of my 

 cell, as Professors on the University campus 

 silently stand sometimes while they are 

 meditating the settlement of some momen- 

 tous interest, and yet wait for somebody to 



