THE SWAR.M 



ducid. These mysterious elections take 

 place every day in the golden shade of 

 the hive. It is not chance that controls 

 them, but a v;isdom whose deep loyalty, 

 gravity, and unsleeping watchfulness man 

 alone can betray : a wisdom that makes 

 and unmakes, and keeps careful watch 

 over all that happens within and v/ithout 

 the city. If sudden flowers abound, or 

 the queen grow old, or less fruitful : if 

 population increase, and be pressed for 

 room, you then shall tmd that the bees 

 will proceed to rear royal cells. But these 

 cells may be destroved if the har\-est fail, 

 or the hive be enlarged. Often they will 

 be retained so long as the young queen 

 have not accomplished, or succeeded in, 

 her marriage flight, — to be at once anni- 

 C 100 ] 



