80 miner's AMERICAN 



forth to the fields to gather honey and farina ; and as 

 soon as the young brood require being fed, a certain 

 number take charge of that duty. This fact, so far as 

 it relates to wax-workers, and honey-gatherers, may be 

 proved in this manner, viz ; — remove a hive containing 

 a swarm vigorously at work making combs, to a short 

 distance, beyond the reach of its tenants on returning 

 from the fields, and mark the result. In a few minutes 

 not a single bee will be seen to leave the hive, after such 

 discharging bees have left, that were in it at the time of 

 its removal. Scarcely a bee will be seen to leave the 

 hive during the first day or two after its removal, for the 

 wax-workers are patiently awaiting the return of their 

 comrades that bring in the materials. When it has be- 

 come evident to the bees that their comrades are lost, 

 (they have no idea of the removal of their tenement,) 

 then a new division of labor takes place, and the gather- 

 ing is resumed with lessened numbers. I have wit- 

 nessed the above case often, in the formation of artificial 

 swarms from a swarm of such magnitude, that half of 

 its members could be safely spared. The same disor- 

 ganization of labor is found in the new hive that receives 

 the honey-gatherers only, as they return from the fields ; 

 and after a day has past, a portion of the bees that were 

 gatherers to the original hive, now become wax-workers 

 to the new hive that is placed in the position of the ori- 

 ginal one, thus proving that all workers are alike, and 

 equally able to lend a hand, at gathering, nursing, or 

 wax-working. The particulars of making artificial 

 swarms, will be given in a future chapter. 



