8$ SWARMS. 



have often known, and had them rife as early 

 or late as the hours ftated. 



Another caufe of the lofs of prime fwarms, 

 is the mifiaken notion that bees always (hew 

 certain Jigns or tokens of their going to 

 fwarm; and therefore until thofe figns ap- 

 pear, watching is omitted. But it mud be evU 

 dent to every reflecting apiator, that fwarms 

 frequently rife early in the fpring, as well as at 

 Other times, without mewing any fuch figns 

 at all. On the contrary, in fome feafons 

 the hive may be fo very full of bees as 

 largely to clufter out, and make an aftonifh^ 

 ing noife within, as though that moment 

 they would rife, and yet very often do not ; 

 no, not fovfevsral days or weeks afterwards, 

 and fometimes not at all, Thefe tokens, 

 indeed, clearly fhew there are bees fufficient 

 in number for a fwarm, and they are moft 

 anxious to do fo; but it alfo fhews they 

 cannot break nature's law: NO queen nq 

 swarm. 



Although there are no figns that precede 



jirji fwarms; offecond, or cap, or after ones 



there are ? viz. peculiar sounds or notes 



in 



