THE BEE, 211 



T II E BEE. 



SHAKSPEARE, our great poet, has admirably described the laws 

 and order of a community of these industrious, useful, and well 

 known insects. To attempt even an outline of the natural history 

 of the bee would occupy more space than can be devoted to this 

 entire article ; we must, therefore, refer the reader who is desirous 

 of the information, to other works, and proceed to notice those 

 passages of Scripture in which it is spoken of, and which require 

 elucidation. 



In Judges xiv. 8, we are informed that Samson on inspecting the 

 carcass of a lion which he had some time previously killed, found 

 that a swarm of bees had taken up their residence in it. We notice 

 the circumstance, because it has been supposed to contradict the 

 statement of Aristotle and other eminent naturalists, who affirm that 

 bees will not alight upon a dead carcass, nor taste the flesh ; that 

 they will never sit down in an unclean place, nor upon any thing 

 which emits an unpleasant smell. The variance between this state- 

 ment arid that of the sacred writer, is, however, only apparent. The 

 frequently occurring phrase introduced into this text ' after a time,* 

 shows that the circumstance referred to was long posterior to the 

 death of the animal, whose body, from an exposure to beasts and 

 birds of prey, and the violent heat of the sun, was reduced to a 

 mere skeleton, and divested of all effluvia. That bees have swarm- 

 ed in dry bones we have the testimony of Herodotus, of Seranus, 

 and of Aldrovandus. Indeed, as bones in their nature, when dry, 

 nre exceedingly dry, there is no more to be said against such a 

 place of residence than against the same among rocks and stones. 



Some writers have contended that bees are destitute of the sense 

 of hearing ; but their opinion is entirely without foundation. This 

 will appear, if any proof were necessary, from the following pre- 

 diction : ' And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall 

 hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Egypt; 

 and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria,' Isaiah vii. 18. The 

 allusion which this text involves, is to the practice of calling out 

 the bees from their hives by a hissing or whistling sound, to their 

 labor in the fields, and summoning them again to return when the 

 heavens begin to lower, or the shadows of evening to fall. In this 

 manner, Jehovah threatens to arouse the enemies of Judah, and lead 



