would have died of hunger had he not succoured them. In the meantime, while matters were going on so badly at Cour, the bees at Renan, Chabliere, Vaux, Cery, &c.—places at the distance of only half-a-league,—were living in the greatest abundance, threw numerous swarms, and filled their hives with honey and wax." This fact serves as an evidence that the flight of a bee, in ordinary cases, is less than two English miles; though we readily admit that in some rare, though well authenticated instances, they have been known to fly double that distance. The general fact is farther confirmed by the following sentence in Huber's letter: "If my bees," he says, "could have cleared the interval which separated them from the places where they would have found provisions, they would assuredly have done so, rather than die of hunger. They succeeded no better at Vevai, although it is not more than half-a-league from that place to Hauteville, Chardonne, &c., where they throve remarkably well."
General Honey-Harvest.—About the beginning or middle of September, the transported hives are brought back to their usual station; and in a few days, according to circumstances, the general honey-harvest commences. The bees have relaxed greatly in their labours,—the fields no longer tempt them to go a-foraging,—and already the little economists are forced to break in on their winter stores. The hives, therefore, designed to be reserved as winter stocks, must be inspected and weighed. Every one which weighs not fifteen or sixteen lbs., exclusive of empty
