PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 399 



A tube impregnated with the odour of poison recently ejected being pre- 

 sented to them, affected them in the same manner. 1 This circumstance 

 may sometimes occasion battles amongst them that are not otherwise easy 

 to be accounted for. 



Anger is no useless or hurtful passion in bees : it is necessary to them 

 for the preservation of themselves and their property, which, besides those 

 of their own species, are exposed to the ravages of numerous enemies. 

 Of these I have already enumerated several of the class of insects, and 

 also some beasts and birds that have a taste for bees and their produce. 

 The Merops apiaster (which has been taken in England), the lark and 

 other birds, catch them as they fly. Even the frog and the toad are said 

 to kill great numbers of bees; and many that fall into the water probably 

 become the prey of fish. The mouse also, especially the field-mouse, in 

 winter often commits great ravages in a hive, if the base and orifices are 

 not well secured and stopped. 2 Thorley once lost a stock by mice, which 

 made a nest and produced young amongst the combs. 3 The titmouse, ac- 

 cording to the same author, will make a noise at the door of the hive, and 

 when a bee comes out to see what is the matter, will seize and devour it. 

 He has known them eat a dozen at a time. The swallows will assemble 

 round the hives and devour them like grains of corn. 4 I need only mention 

 spiders, in whose webs they sometimes meet with their end ; and earwigs 

 and ants, which creep into the hive and steal the honey. 5 



Upon this subject of the enemies of bees, I cannot persuade myself to 

 omit the account Mr. White has given of an idiot boy, who from a child 

 showed a strong propensity to bees. They were his food, his amusement, 

 his sole object. In the winter he dozed away his time in his father's 

 house, by the fireside, in a torpid state, seldom leaving the chimney 

 corner ; but in summer he was all alert and in quest of his game. Hive- 

 bees, humble-bees, and wasps were his prey, wherever he found them. He 

 had no apprehension from their stings, but would seize them with naked 

 hands, 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 skin with these animals : and sometimes he endea- 

 voured to confine them in bottles. He was very injurious to men that 

 kept bees ; for he would glide into their bee-gardens, and sitting down 

 before the stools, would rap with his fingers, and so take the bees as they 

 came out. He has even been known to overturn the hives for the sake of 

 the honey, of which he was passionately fond. Where metheglin was 

 making, 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 under- 

 standing. 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 thy presiding star propitious shone, 

 Shouldst Wildman be." 



l ii. 380. 2 Schirach, 53. 170. 



* Reauin. v. 710. 5 Thorley, 171. White's Nat. Hist. 8vo. i. 339. 



