The Wings 65 



the song is changed into a piercing cry for help, in a voice 

 whistling with anger. They dash forward violently and 

 blindly, and try to sting. 



"When they are quiet and satisfied, their voice is the 

 humming of a grave tune, or, if they do not move their 

 wings, an allegro murmur. If they are suddenly caught 

 or compressed, the sound is one of distress. If a hive 

 is jarred at a time when all the bees are quiet, the mass 

 speedily raise a hum, which ceases as suddenly. In a 

 queenless hive, the sound is doleful, lasts longer, and at 

 times increases in force. When bees swarm, the tune is 

 clear and gay, showing manifest happiness." 

 Langstroth adds, — ■ 



" The German pastor Stahala has published a very com- 

 plete study on the language of bees, which has appeared 

 in some of the bee-papers of Italy, France, and America. 

 We do not consider it as altogether accurate ; but there 

 are some sounds described that all bee-keepers ouglit to 

 study, especially the doleful wail of colonies which have lost 

 their queen, and have no means of rearing another." 



The voice of the bee humming about the flowers 

 has always found favor with the poets, as in Virgil's 

 " Bucolics," — ■ 



" Happy old man ! here, among well-known streams and 

 sacred fountains, you will enjoy the cool shade. On this 

 side, a hedge planted at the adjoining boundary, whose wil- 

 low blossoms are ever fed on by Hyblaean bees, shall often 

 court you by its gentle hummings to indulge repose. On 

 the other side, the pruner beneath a lofty rock shall sing 

 to the breezes : nor meanwhile shall either the hoarse 

 wood-pigeons, thy delight, or the turtle from his lofty elm, 

 cease to coo." 



Our modern poets are still enamoured of the voice of 

 the bee, and Rogers stops us thus, finger on lip, — 



5 



