On the Monday evening previous, or on Tuesday morning, by putting your ear close to the hive, and listening attentively five minutes, you will hear a distinct piping noise, like the word _peep, peep_, uttered several times in succession, and then an interval of silence; two or more may be often heard at the same time; that of one will be shrill and fine, of another hoarse, short and quick. This piping is easily heard by _any_ one not actually deaf, and not the least danger of its being taken for any humming; in fact, it is not to be mistaken for anything else _but piping_, even when you hear it for the first time. These notes can probably never be heard except when the hive contains a plurality of queens. MAY ALWAYS BE HEARD BEFORE AND AFTER SWARM. I _never failed to hear it_, previous to a second swarm, or any after the first, whenever I listened; and whenever I have listened and not heard it at the proper time, I never knew a second swarm to issue! TIME OF CONTINUANCE VARIES. The time of commencing will be later than this rule in some stocks, if the weather is cool, or not many bees left; it may be ten or twelve days. I once found it fourteen before I heard it. Also the swarm may not issue in two or three days after you hear it. The longer the swarm delays, the louder will be the piping; I have heard it distinctly twenty feet, by listening attentively when I knew one was thus engaged; but at first it is rather faint. By putting your ear against the hive it may be heard even in the middle of the day, or at any time before issuing. The length of time it may be heard beforehand seems to be governed again by the yield of honey; when abundant it is common for them to issue the next day; but when somewhat scarce, they will be much longer--very often three or four days. In these cases third swarms seldom occur. TIME BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD ISSUES. Piping for third swarms (when they issue) may usually be heard the evening after the second has left, though one day commonly intervenes between their issues. Here my experience is at variance with many writers, who give several days between the second and third. I do not recollect an instance of more than three days between, but many in less, several the next, and one the same day of the second! I had an instance of a swarm losing its queen (the old one) on its first sally, and returned to wait for the young ones; when they were ready, an uncommon number of bees were present; three swarms issued in three days! On the fourth, another came out and returned; the fifth day it left; making four regular swarms in five days. On the eighth, the fifth swarm left! Although I never had five swarms from a stock before, yet I expected this, from the fact of hearing the piping on the next evening after the fourth one had left. The piping had continued in this hive from the evening previous to the first swarm till the last one had left. NOT ALWAYS TO BE DEPENDED UPON.