THE SWARM 

 which is, it would seem, the hyinn of 

 the royal presence. 



There are numberless instances of the 

 absolute attachment and devotion that the 

 workers display towards their queen. 

 Should disaster befall the little republic : 

 should the hive or the comb collapse, 

 should man prove ig'norant, or brutal : 

 should they sutTer from famine, from cold 

 or disease, and perish by thousands, it 

 will still be almost invariably found that 

 the queen will be safe and alive, beneath 

 the corpses of her faithful daughters. 

 For they will protect her, help her to 

 escape ; their bodies will provide both 

 rampart and shelter ; for her will be the 



[5S] 



