The Swarm 
form, its colour, are grasped and retained 
in these thousands of prudent and faithful 
little memories. Careful note is taken of 
the neighbouring landmarks, the new city 
is founded, and its place established in the 
mind and the heart of all its inhabitants ; 
the walls resound with the love-hymn of 
the royal presence, and work begins. 
[39 ] 
But if the swarm be not gathered by 
man, its history will not end here. It 
will remain suspended on the branch un- 
til the return of the workers, who, acting 
as scouts, winged quartermasters, as it 
were, have at the very first moment of 
swarming sallied forth in all directions in 
search of a lodging. They return one by 
one, and render account of their mission ; 
and as it is manifestly impossible for us to 
fathom the thought of the bees, we can 
only interpret in human fashion the spec- 
127 
