THE QUKEN. 41 



tant insect; but must as surely perish, as tliu body without 

 the spirit must hasten to inevitable decay. 



101. The queen is treated with the greatest respect and 

 affection by the bees. A circle of her loving offspring often 

 surround her, testifying in various ways their dutiful re- 

 gard ; some gently embracing her with their antenme, others 

 offering her food from time to time, and all of them poMtely 

 backing out of her way, to give her a clear path when she 

 moves over the combs. If she is taken from them, the 

 whole colony is thrown into a state of the most intense agi- 

 tation as soon as they ascertain their loss ; all the labors of 

 the hive are abandoned ; the bees run wildly over the combs, 

 and frequently rush from the hive in anxious search for 

 their beloved mother. If they cannot find her, they return 

 to their desolate home, and by their sorrowful tones reveal 

 their deep sense of so deplorable a calamity. Their note at 

 such times, more especially when they first realize their loss, 

 is of a peculiarly mournful character ; it sounds somewhat 

 like a succession of wailings on the minor key, and can no 

 more be mistaken by an experienced bee-keeper, for their 

 ordinary happy hum (76), than the piteous moanings of a 

 sick child could be confounded by the anxious mother with 

 its joyous crowings when overflowing with health and hap- 

 piness. We shall give, in this connection, a description of 

 an interesting experiment. 



103. A populous stock was removed, in the morning, to 

 a new place, and an empty hive put upon its stand. Thous- 

 ands of workers which were ranging the fields, or which left 

 the old hive after its removal, returned to the familiar spot. 

 It was truly affecting to witness their grief and despair ; 

 they flew in restless circles about the place where once stood 

 their happy home, entering the empty hive continually, and 

 expressing in various ways, their lamentations over so cruel 

 a bereavement. Towards evening, ceasing to take wing, 

 they roamed in restless platoons, in and out of the hive, and 



