189G. 



THE AMERICAN DEE-KEEPER. 



249 



Hives of Bark are best, ' Hives,' saith 

 he, 'are to be made according to the 

 condition of the Country, whether it 

 abound with Bark (doubtless we make 

 most beneficial Hives of Bark, for 

 they are not cold in Winter nor hot 

 in Summer) or whether there be store 

 of Reeds, which being near the nature 

 of Bark, are very proper for this use; 

 if neither of these may be had, thev 

 may be woven of Willow ; and for 

 want of all a piece of hollow Tree." 



The translator says, "With us there 

 are but two sorts in use, made of 

 straw and wicker, the first preferred 

 by Mr. Butler." 



It is probably needless for me to say 

 again that I have followed the trans- 

 lator in the use of capitals, punctua- 

 tion, etc. 



" Next, when bright vSol makes Winter's 



cold retreat 

 Behind the Earth, and opens Heaven 



with Heat, 

 Straight they draw out and wander Groves 



and Woods." 



"They go forth to work in the be- 

 ginning of the Spring, but in the 

 midst, or rather, as Pliny observes, in 

 the latter end thereof." 



It is of interest to note the idea 

 these people had of the influence of 

 sound upon bees, and also how old is 

 the custom of making a noise to pre- 

 vent the bees from decamping when 

 they swarm. 



" Make a brazen sound, 

 And beat the Cymbals of the Goddess round: 

 They on charmed Boughs will stay, or else 



retreat, 

 As is their Custom, to their Parents' Seat." 



"Bees at the sound of Brass, or oth- 

 er Metals, are so afraid that they 

 light upon the next place. Aristotle 

 ascribes this to the delight they take 



in the Sound: La Cerda j)roves the 

 contrary from the same effect at the 

 noise of Thunder. 



"The Cymbals of Rhea u.i'd by the 

 Caryhantes at her bringing forth Jup- 

 iter, to conceal the cries of the child 

 from Saturn ; though German us ob- 

 serves that Cymbals were likewise us'd 

 in the Orgies of Bacchus. Pliny saith, 

 That bees delight in the tinkling of 

 Brass, and by that means are called 

 together : whereby it is manifest that 

 they have the sense of Hearing. But 

 Aristotle makes a doubt of it whether 

 they stop through delight or fear." 



There was no doubt in the minds of 

 these early writers as to bees being 

 able to hear. 



" Oft between Two Kings great discord and 

 sad wars have been.' 



The annotator remarks: The occa- 

 sions whereof, according to Aristotle 

 and Pliny, are four, Want of susten- 

 ance. Love of the Flowers, Hate of 

 their Neighbors, Pride of their Kings." 



Virgil had not gotten away from 

 the idea of a "King Bee.'' 



" The Kings amidst the Train in Armor 

 shine, 

 And mighty souls in narrow breasts con- 

 fine.' 



"That the Kings are eminently dis- 

 tinguished from the rest, is confessed 

 by all that write upon this subject. 

 Pliny saith, 'By their more exact 

 form, as big again as the rest, their 

 Wings shorter, their Thighs straight- 

 er, their Walk more erect, amidst 

 their forehead a white spot like a 

 Diadem ; Much likewise differ they 

 from the ordinary sort by their 

 Whiteness." 



St. Joseph, Mo. 



