212 APTDiE — BEES. 



"To have a Bee in one's bonnet" is a Scottish proverbial 

 phrase about equivalent to the English, "To have a maggot 

 in one's head" — to be hair-brained. Kelly gives this with 

 an additional word: "There's a Bee in your bonnet-ease." 

 In Scotland, too, it is said of a confused or stupefied man, 

 that his "head is in the Bees."^ These proverbial expres- 

 sions were also in vogue in England.^ 



The following beautiful epigram, on a Bee inclosed in 

 amber, is from the pen of Martial : " The Bee is inclosed, 

 and shines preserved, in a tear of the sisters of Phaeton, so 

 that it seems enshrined in its own nectar. It has obtained 

 a worthy reward for its great toils ; we may suppose that 

 the Bee itself would have desired such a death. 



The Bee inclosed, and through the amber shown. 

 Seems buried in the juice that was her own. 

 So honored was a life in labor spent: 

 Such might she wish to have her monument. "3 



The Septuagint has the following eulogium on the Bee in 

 Prov. vi. 8, which is not found in the Hebrew Scriptures : " Go 

 to the Bee, and learn how diligent she is, and what a noble 

 work she produces, whose labors kings and private men use 

 for their -health ; she is desired and honored by all, and 

 though weak in strength, yet since she values wisdom, she 

 prevails."* 



In Spain Bees are in great estimation ; and this is evinced 

 by the ancient proverb : 



Abeja y oveja, 



Y piedra que traveja, 



Y pendola trans orcja, 



Y parte en la Igreja, 

 Desea a su hija, la vieja 



The best wishes of a Spanish mother to her son are, 

 Bees, sheep, millstones, a pen behind the ear, and a place 

 in the church.^ 



The following anecdote in the history of the Humble-bee 



1 Jamieson's Scot. Diet. 



2 Wright's 7^0?;. Diet. 



3 Epigrams, B. iv. epigr. 32. 

 * Smith's Did. of the Bible. 



5 Osbeek's Travels, i. 32-3. 



