natural history of the honey-bee. 
67 
bles one only a few days old. On tbe face of the comb is 
a cell (n), just begun for the artificial rearing of a queer., 
this being the usual position of cells built to meet some 
unexpected emergency. To bring the points illustrated 
into a compact compass, the cells are drawn smaller than 
the natural size. 
I shall give, in this connection, a description of an inter¬ 
esting experiment. 
A populous stock was removed, in the morning, to a 
new place, and an empty hive put upon its stand. Thous¬ 
ands of workers which were ranging the fields, or which 
left the old hive after its removal, returned to the familiar 
spot. It was truly affecting to witness their grief and 
despair ; they flew in restless circles about the place where 
once stood their happy home, entering the empty hive 
continually, and expressing, in various ways, their lamen¬ 
tations over so cruel a bereavement. Towards evening, 
ceasing to take wing, they roamed in restless platoons, in 
and out of the hive, and over its surface, as if in search of 
some lost treasure. A small piece of brood-comb was 
then given to them, containing worker-eggs and worms. 
The effect produced by its introduction took place 
much quicker than can be described. Those which first 
touched it raised a peculiar note, and in a moment, the 
comb was covered with a dense mass of bees; as they 
recognized, in this small piece of comb, the means of 
deliverance, despair gave place to hope, their restless 
motions and mournful voices ceased, and a cheerful hum 
proclaimed their delight. If some one should enter a 
building filled with thousands of persons tearing their 
hair, beating their breasts, and by piteous cries, as well as 
frantic gestures, giving vent to their despair, and could 
by a single word cause all these demonstrations of 
agony to give place to smiles and congratulations, the 
