154 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECT». 
the hive, they instantly recognise her, and pay her the, 
usual attentions; but if a strange one be introduced 
within the first twelve hours after the old one is lost, she, 
is kept a close prisoner till she perishes: if twenty-four 
hours, as I have before hinted, have expired since they 
lost their queen, and you introduce a new one, at the 
moment you set this stranger upon a comb, the workers 
that are near her first touch her with their antennee, and 
then pass their proboscis over all parts of her body: 
place is next given to others, who salute her in the same 
manner :—all then beat their wings at the same time, 
and range themselves in a circle round their new sove- 
reign. A kind of agitation is now communicated to the 
whole surface of the comb, which brings all the bees 
upon it to see what‘is going forward. ‘This may be 
called the first shout of the applauding multitude to wel- 
come the arrival of their new sovereign. The circle of 
courtiers increases, they vibrate their wings and bodies, 
but without tumult, as if their sensations were very agree- 
able. When she begins to move, the circle opens to 
Jet her pass, and all follow her steps. She is received 
with similar demonstrations of loyalty in the other parts 
of the hive, is soon acknowledged queen by all, and be- 
gins to lay eggs.—Reaumur put some bees into a hive 
without their queen, and then introduced to them one 
that he had taken when half perished with cold, and 
kept in a box, in which she had covered herself with 
powder. The bees immediately owned her for their 
queen, employed themselves very anxiously in cleaning 
her and warming her, sometimes turning her upon her 
back fer this. purpose—and then beean to construct 
