THE HONEY-BEE. 205 



afraid of bees, but was completely cured of her fear 

 by the following incident. A swarm having left a 

 hive, I observed the Queen alight by herself, at a 

 little distance from the apiary. I immediately called 

 my little friend, that I might show her this import- 

 ant personage ; she was anxious to have a nearer 

 view of her majesty, and therefore, having first caused 

 her to draw on her gloves, I gave the Queen into her 

 hand. Scarcely had I done so, when we were sur- 

 rounded by the whole bees of the swarm. In this 

 emergency I encouraged the trembling girl to be 

 steady, and to fear nothing, remaining myself close 

 by her, and covering her head and shoulders with a 

 thin handkerchief. I then made her stretch out the 

 hand that held the Queen, and the bees instantly 

 alighted on it, and hung from her fingers as from the 

 branch of a tree. The little girl, experiencing no 

 injury, was delighted above measure at the novel 

 sight, and so entirely freed from all fear, that she bade 

 me uncover her face. The spectators were charmed 

 at the interesting spectacle. I at length brought a 

 hive, and shaking the swarm from the child's hand, 

 it was lodged in safety without inflicting a single 

 sting." 



This instance, though amusing, must yield in in- 

 terest to the following from Thorley, an old English 

 bee-master. It has been often told, but, for the 

 reasons already stated, deserves to be repeated : 

 " In the year 171 7, one of my swarms settled among 

 the close-twisted branches of a codling tree, and not 

 to be got into a hive without help, my maid-servant, 



