NATURAL INCREASE. 
159 
thorax), and here eight or nine delicate line indenta- 
tions occur; and possibly the tremor of the abdomen 
may be accompanied by a rasping of these loosely- 
articulated parts, so as to increase the sound. The 
difference between the note of the queen at liberty 
and the princess in the cell needs no further ex- 
planation than the obvious one, that the voice of the 
latter is muffled, while her body-rings are yet soft, 
and, consequently, less resonant. 
Piping, which cannot be mistaken for any other 
sound made by the bees, may be heard by placing 
the ear against the hive, on the morning or evening 
before the issue of any swarm after the first ; and as 
the first cast usually comes off nine* days after the 
swarm, let the bee-keeper listen, as described, on the 
evening of the eighth day, when, if piping be heard, 
it is certain evidence of the intention of the bees, 
which may, however, be frustrated by unfavourable 
weather obliging them to permit the destruction of 
the supernumerary princesses. Yet the lively maidens 
are less fastidious, with regard to the state of the 
elements, than the matrons, and, instead of waiting 
for the sun to near the meridian, as old queens mostly 
do, they are sometimes off four, or even five, hours 
before noon, or may delay their departure till near 
evening. Family jealousies, perhaps, account for 
their indifference to external conditions, for danger 
at home seems to drive out the free queen, or queens, 
which, after piping awhile, go first with such as see 
well to accompany them. The presence of more 
* The queen cells remain sealed eight days before the contained queen 
hatches out. This determines the period of nine days. 
