262 miner's AMERICAN 



save a few straggling bees, that seeem to be undecided 

 whether to join the emigrants or return home. There 

 they hang in the form of an inverted cone, with their 

 heads up, enough to fill a peck measure. 



"What are they hanging there for?" says a bystander, 

 who has never seen a swarm issue before. 



" They always cluster in this way, sir, preparatory to 

 taking their flight to the forest, or such places as they 

 would seek for a home ; provided, that we should not 

 tender them one." 



" Is the hing-hee among 'em ?" 



"There is no king-bee, but a queen-hee is among 

 them, without doubt. If she were not, they would not 

 remain so quiet as you perceive them to be, but would 

 be seen running to and fro, in wild consternation ; 

 and when satisfied of her not being present, they would 

 quickly return to the hive whence they issued." 



" But how can they know whether she be with them 

 or not, since she is but one among so many thousands." 



" They have the power of communicating this know- 

 ledge, which is almost instantaneous. When on the 

 wing, a certain noise produced by the wings, will imme- 

 diately bring a swarm, extended over many rods of space, 

 to a focus, where the queen may be. When in a clus- 

 ter, or in the hive, her presence is quickly communi- 

 cated from one to another. As the General-in-chief 

 gives the word of command to his aids, from whom it 

 rapidly passes down the lines, until the whole army 

 knows the orders of their commander, so is a knowledge 



