Of the Natural Swarming of Bees. 163 
feems to be the royal proclamation iffued by the 
young princefs, to warn, or rather to invite her 
fellow emigrants to prepare for their intended 
journey. It founds, fays one, as if the words 
peep! peep! peep! were rapidly pronounced fif- 
teen or twenty times in halfa minute. She then 
{tops, and begins again repeatedly, like a chicken 
peeping forits mother,when it has lofther. When 
there are feveral young Q Jueens in the hive, there 
will be fo many diftinét voices repeating this 
call. I.have fometimes heard thefe ptinceffes 
calling from all corners of the hive ; and, as it 
were, anfwering each other; fome calling out 
peep; peep, in a'treble voice, and others anfwer- 
ing in a voice rather more hoarfe, and compara- 
tively like bafs *. When thefe founds are heard 
PUG Re ie hye in 
~* Almoft all authors agree, that thefe peculiar voices proceed 
from the young Queens petzauning (fo to fpeak,) for /eave to emi- 
grate with a young fwarm. I have.fometimes thought; however; 
that this noife might alfo proceed from fear or rage being excited 
amongit them. I was led to entertain this opinion; by obferving 
their different [creams one day, which made me fufpeé that there 
were more than one Queen in the hives And as I wifhed to 
have one or two of them to enable me to caufe fome out-laying 
hives fwarm, I drove all the bees out of that hive. One Queen 
went along with them ; but I till perceived other two Queens, 
befides three royal cells fealed ups 1 ftill heard the ufual quick 
ery of the Queen; and, upon attentively obferving their mo- 
ty , 
tions; 
