196 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



last. On one or two occasions I saw her drop down 

 to the ground, on weeds or grass in front of the hive, 

 seemingly unable to mount up into the air, where, 

 if left to herself, she would most likely have perished, 

 had the returning swarm not discovered her, when 

 they immediately commenced clustering around her. 

 In the year 1855, one of our stocks sent forth a 

 swarm, which, after circling around for some time, 

 returned again to the hive from whence it came. It 

 repeated t^is operation the next day. I happened to 

 be some distance from the apiary each time the 

 swarm was rapidly returning. When I arrived, I ex- 

 amined carefully in front of the hive until I felt 

 pretty certain the queen had not dropt down on her 

 first attempt to fly ; hence I concluded she remained 

 in the hive, and suspected that from some cause she 

 was unable to fly. To satisfy myself upon this point, 

 I determined to watch the next day about the time 

 they were likely to make the third attempt. I had 

 but a short time to wait until the swarm again began 

 rushing out. After watching for a few moments, a 

 large portion of the swarm having gone forth, the 

 queen came rushing out, first running up the side of 

 the hive, then down and around on the alighting 

 board, in front of the hive, to and fro, very much 

 excited, but made no attempt to fly. I at once 

 discovered one of her wings was deficient. Mean- 

 while the bees kept rushing out as though their very 

 lives depended on their speed, apparently unconscious 

 of the presence of the queen ; in fact, in their hurry 

 they passed over and around her with the same indif- 



