IX 



REJUVENATION 



In this fickle climate of England it is useless to lay 

 down laws and to make definite statements that 

 such and such things will take place at such and 

 such a time. If one were to conduct one's 

 natural history rambles by the aid of dear Gilbert 

 White's Calendar, it would not be often that we 

 should find the things we expected. Over and 

 over again I have found some of the things 

 mentioned in that interesting little compilation 

 not appear for a month after the time stated. 

 Those dates were, of course, the earliest on which 

 he had observed the different things. 



So it is with bees. Sometimes the crocuses are 

 well out and basking in the sunshine by the middle 

 of February. At others they scarcely get a chance 

 to open their blossoms during March, and such 

 few bees as dare to venture out are hard put to it 

 to get anything in the way of provender. How- 

 ever, as soon as some fine warm days come, and 

 there generally are a few in February sooner or 

 later, the hives begin to be stirring. The incom- 

 ing of fresh stores encourages the queen to lay, 



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