Eyes, AntenncB, and Brain 53 



telegraphic code, — but what is the use in speculating about 

 it? Whatever the method, this we may be sure of, they 

 know each other when they meet by crossing antennae, 

 and they know strangers in the same way, and are as 

 eager to converse stingwise with a stranger bee as they 

 are to gossip amicably with a friend. 



When one advances a pencil or other small object 

 towards a bee that apparently is sound asleep, long before 

 the object is within what one would suppose to be notice- 

 able distance, the antennae fly out. They work nervously 

 back and forth, as though inquiring the quality and mean- 

 ing of the approaching object. 



The bee examines objects at a distance by means of 

 these remarkable organs, and those within reach by gently 

 tapping or touching them with the tips of the antennae, 

 which, as we know, are best supphed with sensory organs. 



When the bee is asleep, or resting undisturbed, the 

 antennae droop in a seemingly helpless manner ; but at 

 the slightest hint of disturbance, these reliable sentinels 

 are elevated and on duty. 



No doubt bees recognize their queen by touching her 

 with the antennae, as Huber performed a number of care- 

 ful experiments to prove. He separated the queen from 

 the bees by a wire partition, through which they could see, 

 hear, and smell her, but could not touch her ; and they soon 

 betrayed all the symptoms of a queenless colony, and began 

 to build cells in which to raise a new queen. But when the 

 queen was so confined that they could touch her with their 

 antennae, they showed no inclination to build queen cells. 

 They knew she was there, and they were comforted. 

 Doubtless, too, the information that the queen is missing 

 is conveyed from bee to bee by crossing the antennae, as 

 Huber also demonstrated. 



With its antennae alone, our bee would be better en- 



