274 The Natural History of Selborne 



stings, but would seize them nudis manibus, and at once 

 disarm them of their weapons, and suck their bodies for 

 the sake of their honey-bags. Sometimes he would fill his 

 bosom between his shirt and his skin with a number of 

 these captives, and sometimes would confine them in bottles. 

 He was a very merops apiaster, or bee-bird, and very injurious 

 to men that kept bees ; for he would slide into their bee- 

 gardens, and, sitting down before the stools, would rap with 

 his finger on the hives, and so take the bees as they came out. 

 He has been known to overturn hives for the sake of honey, 

 of which he was passionately fond. Where metheglin was 

 making 1 he would linger round the tubs and vessels, begging 

 a draught of what he called bee-wine. As he ran about he 

 used to make a humming noise with his lips, resembling the 

 buzzing of bees. This lad was lean and sallow, and of a 

 cadaverous complexion ; and, except in his favourite pursuit, 

 in which he was wonderfully adroit, discovered no manner of 

 understanding. Had his capacity been better, and directed 

 to the same object, he had perhaps abated much of our 

 wonder at the feats of a more modern exhibitor of bees ; and 

 we may justly say of him now, 



"..."' Thou, 



Had t 'Ay presiding star propitious shone, 

 Should' 'st Wildman * be 



When a tall youth he was removed from hence to a distant 

 village, where he died, as I understand, before he arrived at 

 manhood. I am, &c. 



* Thomas Wildman published a " Treatise on the Management of 

 Bees " ; with the various methods of cultivating them, both ancient and 

 modern, 410, 1768. 



1 This is an interesting passage as showing that metheglin was still 

 commonly made in Wessex only a hundred years ago. ED. 



