PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 398 
it all around, except the aperture, to the platform on which it stood, he 
stuck in the top a piece of iron wire which terminated in a hook, to which 
he fastened a hair with a small square of very thin paper at the other end ; 
this was exactly opposite to the aperture, at the distance of about an inch 
from it. As soon as the apparatus was fixed, the hair with its paper 
endulum began to oscillate more or less, the greatest oscillations on both 
sides being an inch, by admeasurement, from the perpendicular; if the 
paper was moved by force to a greater distance, the vibrations did not 
take place, and the apparatus remained at rest. He then made an open- 
ing in the top of the hive, and poured in some liquid honey ; soon after, 
there arose a hum, the movement in the interior increased, and some 
bees came out. The oscillations of the pendulum upon this became more 
frequent and intense, and extended to fifteen lines or an inch and a 
quarter from the perpendicular ; but when the paper was removed to a 
greater distance from the aperture, it remained at rest. 
Huber, at the proposal of M. de Saussure, in order to ascertain whether 
artificial ventilators would produce an analogous effect, got a mechanical 
friend to construct for him a little mill with eighteen sails of tin, He also 
prepared a large cylindrical vase, into which he could, at an aperture in 
the box upon which it was fixed, introduce a lighted taper. In one side 
of this box was another aperture to represent that of a hive, but larger. 
The ventilator was placed below, and luted at the points of contact ; and 
anemometers were suspended before the aperture. The first experiment 
was the introduction of the taper, without putting the ventilator in motion. 
Though the capacity of the vessel was about 3228 cubic inches, the flame 
soon diminished, and went out in about eight minutes, and the anemo- 
meters continued motionless. The same experiment was next repeated 
with the door shut, with precisely the same result. After the air of the 
vessel had been renewed, the taper was again introduced, and the venti- 
lator set in motion : immediately, as appeared by the oscillations of the 
anemometers, two currents of air were established, and the brilliancy of 
the flame was not diminished during the whole course of the experiment, 
which might have been prolonged for an indefinite time. A thermo- 
meter placed in the lower part of the apparatus rose to 112°; and the 
temperature was evidently still more elevated at the top of the receiver. 
The Creator often has one end in view in the actions of animals (and 
nothing more conspicuously displays the invisible hand that governs the 
universe), while the agents themselves have another. This probably is the 
case in the present instance, since we can scarcely suppose that the bees 
beat the air with their wings in order to ventilate the hive, but rather to 
relieve themselves from some disagreeable sensation which oppresses 
them, The following experiments prove that one of their objects in this 
action, as it is with ladies when they use their fans, is to cool themselves 
when they suffer from too great leat. When Huber once opened the 
shutter of a glazed hive, so that the solar rays darted upon the combs 
covered with bees, a humming, the sign of ventilation, soon was heard 
amongst them, while those which were in the shade remained tranquil. 
The bees composing the clusters which often are suspended from the hives 
iM summer, when they are incommoded by the heat of the sun, fan them- 
Selves with great energy. But if by any means a shadow is cast over any 
portion of the group, the ventilation ceases there, while it continues in the 
