NATURAL SWARMING. 195 



place, when suddenly the advance guard rushes forth 

 with hurried steps, immediately taking wing and 

 mounting into the air, making a sharp, shrill sound, 

 which can easily be distinguished from those engaged 

 in their usual labor ; when, hark ! the joyful cry is 

 raised by those on watch : The bees are swarming ! 

 which generally produces as much excitement in the 

 bee-keeper's family as I have described as occurring 

 in the bee family. 



THE MODUS OPERANDI OP SWARMING. 



It has already been remarked, that a column or 

 stream of bees rushes forth with Jthe utmost precipi- 

 tation. I have on several occasions carefully observed 

 during this process, to see if the queen leads the 

 swarm, or is the first to leave the hive, as many 

 authors have led us to believe, but am satisfied this 

 is not correct. At various times I observed her 

 majesty come out of the hive greatly excited, and run 

 around on the alighting board, or on the side of the 

 hive, and again pass into the hive, apparently bewil- 

 dered, or being fearful of taking wing; in a few 

 moments she would again make her appearance out- 

 side of the hive. During all this time the bees were 

 rushing out and taking wing with the greatest fury, 

 until the air for a considerable space around and 

 above the hive was completely filled with bees, cir- 

 cling around in every direction. This operation was 

 repeated several times before she took wing, by which 

 time most of the swarm had left, and instead of the 

 queen being the first to leave, she was almost the 



