The Life of the Bee 
seek other skies when the day for mi- 
gration returns. Nor is it a kind of 
mechanical habit of the race, or blind 
craving for life, that will fling the bees 
upon any wild hazard the moment an 
unforeseen event shall derange the accus- 
tomed order of phenomena. On the 
contrary, be the event never so masterful, 
the “spirit of the hive” still will follow 
it, step by step, like an alert and quick- 
witted slave, who is able to derive ad- 
vantage even from his master’s most 
dangerous orders. 
It disposes pitilessly of the wealth and 
the happiness, the liberty and life, of all 
this winged people; and yet with discre- 
tion, as though governed itself by some 
great duty. It regulates day by day the 
number of births, and contrives that these 
shall strictly accord with the number of 
flowers that brighten the country-side. 
It decrees the queen’s deposition or warns 
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