bee-keeper's manual. 259 



impulse, and a commotion ensues within, that beggars 

 all description. When the notice is fairly given to the 

 whole family, the queen rushes towards the outlet, and 

 if in her passage she happen to pass near the royal cells, 

 the workers mistaking her intention to leave the hive, 

 for a rush at a young queen, seize and hold her a pris- 

 oner. In the meantime the word has been given out 

 to swarm, and away go the workers, as if ten thousand 

 of their deadliest enemies were on the chase. They 

 cluster as usual, but in a few mmutes they miss their 

 queen, and all is confusion again. They return to the 

 hive. This is the reason of swarms sometimes issuing 

 without a queen. 



Jf the queen pass near no royal cells, containing 

 young queens ready to emerge, she goes off, and then 

 all is peaceable again. 



Now, we will follow the condition of things in the 

 hive after the old queen is departed. The workers at 

 once go to the oldest of the young queens that is kept 

 in durance, if there be more than one, and say " madam, 

 you are at liberty to come out." She comes forth, 

 strong and full of fire and energy, and at once assumes 

 the helm. She, in turn, also scents out her sisters in 

 royalty, and if permitted by the workers, she would fall 

 upon them and slay them while yet in their cells. 



We now come to a crisis where all future swarming 

 rests upon the decision of the workers at this juncture. 

 If no more swarms can be spared, the workers immedi- 

 ately give up the guarding of any more royal cells, and 

 the queen that has just assumed the reins of govern- 



