18 THE HISTORY OF BEES, 
I began to fearch among them for the Queen, now got 
in a great body upon her breaft, about her neck, and up 
to her chin. I immediately feized her, taking her from 
among the croud with fome of the commons in company 
with, her, and put them together into the hive, Here I 
watched her for fome time, and as I did not obferve that 
et 
fhe came, out; I cdncetved an expectation of feeing thé 
whole body quickly abandon their fettlement; but inftead 
ef that, I foon obferved them gathering clofer together, 
without the leaft fignal for departing. Upon this I im- 
mediately reflected, that either there muft be another 
Sovereign, or that the fame was returned, I dire@ly 
commenced a fecond fearch, and in a fhort time, with 
a moft agreeable furprize, found a fecond, or the fame; 
fhe ftrove, by entering further into the croud, to efcape 
me, but I re-conducted her, with a great number of the 
‘populace, into the hive. And now the melancholy 
‘fcene began to change, to one infinitely more agreeable 
and pleafant. 
The Bees prefently miffing their Queen, began to dif- 
lodge, and repair to the hive, crouding into it in multi- 
tudes, and in the greateft hurry imaginable. And in the 
{pace of two or three minutes the maid had not a fingle 
Bee about her, neither had the fo much as one fting, a 
fmall number of which would have quickly A nner her 
breath. 
How inexpreffible the pleafure which fucceeded her 
patt fears! I never call to mind the wonderful efcape, 
without a fecret and very fenfible pleafure. . 
This 
