43 THE SENSES OF BEES. 



the guards, carefully avoiding their flexible organs, 

 as if aware that its safety depended on its caution/'* 

 Taste. In Bees, Taste appears, on a slight view, 

 to differ most materially fron* that sense in man ; 

 and because with all their eager fondness for the 

 rich nectar of flowers, they are frequently detected 

 lapping the impure fluid from corrupted marshes, it 

 has been hastily concluded, that their sense of Taste 

 is very defective. Huber thought it the least perfect 

 of the Bee-senses, and instances their gathering 

 honey even from poisonous flowers, and regaling 

 themselves with foetid liquids. Now, with deference 

 to this distinguished observer, it may be permitted, 

 perhaps, to defend our favourites from so injurious 

 an imputation. We have prima facie evidence of 

 the delicacy of their taste in their eager activity in 

 collecting their delicious stores of honey secreted by 

 the most fragrant flowers ; and such is their ardour 

 in these operations, that they defy the elements when 

 the honey-season is at its height, and, laying aside 

 their usual fears of bad weather, boldly encounter 

 wind and rain to get at their favourite fluid. Huber 

 acknowledges, that when fe the lime-tree and black 

 grain blossom, they brave the rain, depart before sun- 

 rise, and return later than ordinary. But their activity 

 relaxes after the flowers have faded ; and when the 

 enamel adorning the meadows has fallen under the 

 scythe, the Bees remain in their dwelling, however 

 brilliant the sunshine/' Wherefore have they not, 



* Huber, 284. 



