1876.] Lubbock’s Observations on Bees and Ants. 153 
I often found that if bees which were brought to honey did 
not return at once, still they would do so a day or two afterwards. 
_For instance, on July 11, 1874, a hot, thundery day, and when 
the bees were much out of humor, I brought twelve bees to some 
honey ; only one came back, and that one only once; but on the 
following day several of them returned. 
My bees sometimes ceased work at times when I could not 
account for their doing so. October 19th was a beautiful, sun- 
shiny, warm day. All the morning the bees were fully active. 
At 11.25 I brought one to the honey-comb, and she returned at 
the usual intervals for a couple of hours; but after that she came 
no more, nor were there any other bees at work. Yet the weather 
was loyely, and the hive is so placed as to catch the afternoon 
sun 
I have made a few observations to ascertain, if possible, whether 
the bees generally go to the same part of the hive. Thus, — 
October 5th. I took a bee out of the hive, fed her, and marked 
her. She went back to the same part. 
October 9th. At 7.15 I took out two bees, fed and marked 
them. They returned; but I could not see them in the same 
part of the hive. One, however, I found not far off. 
At 9.30, brought out four bees, fed and marked them. One 
returned to the same part of the hive. I lost sight of the others. 
Since their extreme eagerness for honey may be attributed 
rather to their anxiety for the common weal than to their desire 
for personal gratification, it cannot fairly be imputed as greedi- 
ness; still the following scene, one which most of us have wit- 
hessed, is incompatible surely with much intelligence. ‘ The sad 
fate of their unfortunate companions does not in the least deter 
others who approach the tempting lure from madly alighting on 
the bodies of the dying and the dead, to share the same miserable 
end. No one can understand the extent of their infatuation until 
he has seen a confectioner’s shop assailed by myriads of hungry 
I have seen thousands strained out from the syrup in 
which they had perished ; thousands more alighting even upon 
_ the boiling sweets ; the floor covered and windows darkened with 
, Some crawling, others flying, and others still so completely 
besmeared as to be able neither to crawl nor fly — not one in ten 
able to carry home its ill-gotten spoils, and yet the air filled with 
new hosts of thoughtless comers.” 1 i 
If, however, bees are to be credited with any moral feelings at 
1 Hive and Honey Bee, Langstroth, p. 277. 
