42 PHYSIOLOGT OE THE HONEY-BEE. 



over its surface, as if in searcli of some lost treasure. A 

 small piece of brood-comb was then given to them, contain- 

 ing worker-eggs and worms. The effect produced by its 

 introduction took place much quicker than cau be described. 

 Those which first touched it raised a peculiar note, and in a 

 moment, the comb was covered with a dense mass of bees ; 

 as they recognized, iu this small piece of comb, the means 

 of deliverance, despair gave place to hope, their restless 

 motions and mournful voices ceased, and a cheerful hum 

 proclaimed their delight. If some one should enter a build- 

 ing filled with thousands of persons tearing their hair, beat- 

 ing their breasts, and by piteous cries, as well as frantic 

 gestures, giving vent to their despair, and could by a single 

 word cause all these demonstrations of agony to give place 

 to smiles and congratulations, the change would not be more 

 instantaneous than that produced when the bees received 

 the brood- comb ! 



The Orientals called the honey-bee '■'■Deborah; She that 

 speaketh." Would that this little insect might speak, in 

 words more eloquent than those of man's device, to those 

 who reject any of the doctrines of revealed religion, with the 

 assertion that they are so improbable, as to labor under a 

 fatal a priori objection. Do not all the steps in the devel- 

 opment of a queen from the worker-egg, labor under the 

 ^x■ry same objection? and have they not, for this reason been 

 formerly regarded, by many bee-keepers, as unworthy of 

 behef? If the favorite argumeut of infidels will not stand 

 the test, when applied to the wonders of the bee-hive, is it 

 entitled to serious weight, when, by objecting to religious 

 truths, they arrogantly take to task the Infinite Jehovah for 

 what He has been pleased to do or to teach? With no 

 more latitude than is claimed by such objectors, it were 

 easy to prove that a man is under no obHgation to believe 

 any of the wonders of the bee-hive, even although he is him- 



