Chapter VIII The Bees as Architects: The City
Artistic character of the bee-hive, 311
Its government democratic, or a modified constitutional monarchy, 312
The writer traces the foundation and erection of the hive, 313
Its division into cells, and their differences of construction, 314
The thoughtful skill of the builders illustrated, 315
As in their improvised defence against the ravages of the Sphinx Atropos, 316
Which may be accepted as a proof of the intelligence of insects as distinguished from instinct, 317
CHAPTER IX.—HOW THE BEES CREATE THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMON MOTHER.
Care of the bee for the nymph, or larva, 321
As it grows, so does its wonderful organization develop, 322
Special care bestowed on the future queen, 323
The queen bee has attributes of its own, 324
Her rage, when she becomes aware of the existence of possible rivals, 325
The community divided between the old love and the new, 325
An emigration takes place, 325
And a new commonwealth is established, 326
Sometimes the old queen and the new encounter one another, 327
In which case a deadly combat ensues, 328
And the victor becomes the idol of the people, 328
If both perish, the community, in a state of great excitement, proceed to feed and bring up another, 329
Whom they will guard with loving loyalty, 329
CONCLUSION.
A comparison, and a contrast, between the bee and the ant, 333
All insects teach certain noteworthy lessons, 334
And, primarily, a reverence for life, 335
Various anecdotes from the writer’s own experience are here brought forward, in defence of the thesis that life is more precious than science, 336
Illustrative Notes, 341
A number of the page numbers were repositioned below chapter page illustrations.