312 THE APIARY. 



not of a very "spiritual" ctiaracter, produce, nevertheless, a 

 ■decided effect upon the bees. Their first impulse, if no smoke 

 were used, would be to sally out, and wreak their vengeance 

 oil those who thus rudely assail their honied dome; but as 

 soon as they inhale its fumes, and feel the terrible concussion 

 of their oiice stable abode, a sudden fear, that they are to be 

 driven from their treasures, lakes possession of them. De- 

 termined to prepare for this unceremonious writ of ejection, 

 by caiiying off what they can, each bee oegins to lay in a 

 supply, and in about five minutes, all are filled to their utmost 

 capacity. A prodig-ious humming is now heard, as they begin 

 tij mount into the upper box; and in about fifteen minutes 

 from the time the rapping began — if it has been continued 

 with but slight intermissions — the mass of bees, with their 

 queen, will hang clustered in the forcing-box, like any natural 

 swarm, and may, at the proper time, be readily shaken out on 

 a sheet, in front of their intended hive. 



Now jjut the forcing box on their old stand, and carry the 

 parent-hive to some place where, you cannot be annoyed by 

 other bees. 



Sy*?. It is iuipiirtant to make sure that the queen is re- 

 mo\e(l, as she might be injured in the transfer of cnml). 

 Her presence among the driven bees can be ascertained in 

 a few minutes, Ijy the quietness of their behavior, cir 1jy the 

 eggs which she drops on the bottom-board, and which can 

 easily be seen if a black cloth is spread under the forcmg 

 b..x (155). 



If the queen is net with the bees, a few will come out arid 

 run alxail, as if anxiously searching for something they have 

 lost. The alarm is rapidly communicated to the whole colony; 

 the explorers are reinforced, the ventilators suspend theii' 

 operations, and soon the air is filled with bees. If they can- 

 not find the queen, they return to their old stand, and if no 

 hive is there^ will soon enter one of the adjoining colonies. 

 If their queen is restored to them soon after they miss her, 

 those running out of the hive will make a half-circle, and 



