THE WORKER-BEE. 73 
confirmed by the report of A. Saunier, in the South of 
France, Having deprived a hive of all its inhabitants, he 
found bees, hatching twenty-three days afterwards, that had 
not even been sealed in their cells, since there had been no 
nurses there to do this work. (‘‘L’Apiculteur.’’ Paris, 
1870.) As these were already full-grown larve, when the 
hive was deprived ofits bees, they must have been twenty- 
seven days old when hatching. In this experiment, the 
heat produced by the larvee, coupled with that of the atmos- 
phere, had been sufficient to keep them alive and help their 
slow development. 
We have often noticed the brood of swarms, that had de- 
serted their hives, still alive after a cold night, but in each 
case its development was delayed. 
172. A newly hatched worker, like a newly hatched 
queen, is easily recognized by her small size, her pale gray 
color, and her weak appearance. After a few days, she has 
grown considerably larger. She is then in the bloom of 
health ; her color is bright, she has not yet lost a single hair 
of the down which covers her body. These hairs fall grad- 
ually from age and work, and sometimes disappear almost 
entirely. 
173. The first excursion of the young bee out of the hive 
takes place when she is about eight days old. (See Don- 
hoff’s experiment 160.) The disturbing of the colony, or 
the lack of old bees may cause them to go out earlier. 
The first flight of young worker-bees is easily remembered 
when once seen. It usually takes place in the afternoon of’ 
asunny day. ‘They first walk about on the platform ina 
hesitating manner and then take flight. Their humming, 
and joyous and peaceable circles to reconnoitre the location 
‘of their home, recalls to memory the gay playing of children 
in front. of the school-house door. Their second trip is 
made about a week after the first ; it is then that they bring 
in their first load. A young bee coming home is readily 
