The Life of the Bee 
exists is certain, but it is certain also that 
its memory is exceedingly short-lived. 
Dare to replace in her kingdom a mother 
whose exile has lasted some days, and her 
indignant daughters will. receive her in 
such a fashion as to compel you hastily to 
snatch her from the deadly imprisonment 
reserved for unknown queens. For the 
bees have had time to transform a dozen 
workers’ habitations into royal cells, and 
the future of the race is no longer in 
danger. Their affection will increase, or 
dwindle, in the degree that the queen rep- 
resents the future. Thus we often find, 
when a virgin queen is performing the 
perilous ceremony known as the “-nuptial 
flight,” of which I will speak later, that 
her subjects are so fearful of losing her 
that they will all accompany her on this 
questions that deal with life, we can draw one conclu- 
sion only: that, till better obtain, curiosity still must 
rule in our heart. 
108 
