When a swarm migrates to the woods in this manner, the individual bees,as I have intimated, do not move in right lines or straight forward,like a flock of birds, but round and round, like chaff in a whirlwind.Unitedly they form a humming, revolving, nebulous mass, ten or fifteenfeet across, which keeps just high enough to clear all obstacles,except in crossing deep valleys, when, of course, it may be somewhat high.The swarm seems to be guided by a line of couriers, which may be seen(at least at the outset) constantly going and coming. As they take adirect course, there is always some chance of following them to thetree, unless they go a long distance, and some obstruction, like awood, or a swamp, or a high hill, intervenes--enough chance, at anyrate, to stimulate the lookers-on to give vigorous chase as long astheir wind holds out. If the bees are successfully followed to theirretreat, two plans are feasible: either to fell the tree at once, andseek to hive them, maybe bring them home in the section of the treethat contains the cavity; or to leave the tree till fall, then inviteyour neighbors, and go and cut it, and see the ground flow with honey.The former course is more business-like; but the latter is the oneusually recommended by one's friends and neighbors.

Perhaps nearly one third of all the runaway swarms leave when no one isabout, and hence are unseen and unheard, save, perchance, by somedistant laborers in the field, or by some youth ploughing on the sideof the mountain, who hears an unusual humming noise, and sees the swarmdimly whirling by overhead, and, may be, gives chase; or he may simplycatch the sound, when he pauses, looks quickly around, but seesnothing. When he comes in at evening he tells how he heard or saw aswarm of bees go over; and, perhaps from beneath one of the hives inthe garden a black mass of bees has disappeawhite during the day.