THE SWARM 



As regards this personal affection of 

 which we have spoken, there is one word 



; the queen he intends to introduce, and lets her fast for 

 hal^ an hour. He then lifts a comer of the inner 

 cover l)f^ the orphaned hive, and places the strange 

 qo&ta on the top of one of the combs. Her former 

 isoladoa having terrified her, she is delighted to find 

 herself in the midst of the bees; and being famished 

 she eagerly accepts the food they offer her. The 

 WoiiEers, deceived by her assurance, do not examine 

 her, but probably iBis^ine that their old queen has re- 

 sumed, and welcome her Joyfully. It would setm, 

 fterefore, that, contrary to the opinion of Ruber and 

 all other investigators, the bees are not capable of 

 recognising their queen. In any event, the two ex- 

 planations, which are both equally plausible — though 

 the truth mayjurk, perhaps, in a third, that is not yet 

 kaown to us— -only prove once again how complex 

 lnd^«hscuce^ the psychology of the bee. And from 

 this, as f^)QKi all quKtions that deal with life, we can 

 draw one condition onlyT^at, till better obtain, 

 cariositjr stilL must rule in our heart. 

 ^ - [871 



