THE BEE. 
323 
no place to contain the new comers; and they are scarcely 
excluded from the cell, when they are obliged, by the old 
bees, to sally forth in quest of new habitations. In other 
words the hive begins to swarm, and the new progeny pre- 
pares for exile. ° 
While there is room enough in the hive, the bees remain 
quietly together ; it is necessity alone that compels the sepa- 
ration. Sometimes, indeed, the young brood, with graceless 
obstinacy refuse to depart, and even venture to resist their 
progenitors. The young ones are known by being browner 
than the old, with whiter hair ; the old ones are of a lighter 
colour, with red hair. The two armies are therefore easily 
distinguishable, and dreadful battles are.often seen to ensue. 
But the victory almost ever terminates, ’with strict poetical 
justice, in favoui of the veterans, and the rebellious oflsprin< r 
are driven off, not without loss and mutilation. 
In different countries, the swarms make their appearance 
at different times ot the year, and there are several signs 
previous to this intended migration. The night before, °an 
unusual buzzing is heard in the hive ; in the morning, though 
the weather be soft and inviting, they seem not to obey the 
call, being intent on more important meditations within. All 
labouris discontinued in thehive, every bee is either employed 
in forcing, or reluctantly yielding a submission ; at length 
after some noise and tumult, a queen-bee is chosen, to guard, 
rather than conduct the young colony to other habitations 
and then they are marshalled without any apparent con- 
ductor. In less than a minute, they leave their native abode, 
and forming a cloud round their protectress, they set off, 
without seeming to know the place of their destination ; 
The world before litem, where to choose their place of rest. 
I he usual time of swarming, is from ten in the morning to 
three in the afternoon, when the sun shines bright, and invites 
them to seek their fortunes. They flutter for awhile, in the 
air, like flakes of snow, and sometimes undertake a distant 
journey, but more frequently are contented with some neigh- 
bouring asylum ; the branch ofa tree, a chimney top, or some 
other exposed situation. It sometimes is found, that there 
are two or three queens to a swarm, and the colony is di- 
vided into parties; but it most usually happens, that one of 
these is more considerable than the other, and the bees, by 
degrees, desert the weakest, to take shelter under the most 
powerful protector. Thedeserted queen does not longsurvi ve 
this defeat : she takes refuge under the new monarch, and is 
soon destroyed by her jealous rival. Till this cruel execution 
is performed, the bees never go out to work; and if there 
should be a queen-bee belonging to the new colony, left in 
