UNITING SWARMS OR STOCKS. 155 



When under a strong impression of fear, says he, 

 they are rendered subservient to our wills, to such 

 a degree as to remain long attached to any place 

 they afterwards settle upon, and will become so 

 mild and tractable, as to bear any handling which 

 does not hurt them, without the least show of 

 resentment. "Long experience has taught me, 

 that as soon as I turn up a hive, and give some 

 taps on the sides and bottom, the queen immedi- 

 ately appears." " Being accustomed to see her, 

 I readily perceive her at the first glance ; and 

 long practice has enabled me to seize her instantly, 

 with a tenderness that does not in the least en- 

 danger her person." "Being possessed of her, I 

 can, without exciting any resentment, slip her 

 into my other hand, and returning the hive to its 

 place, hold her, till the bees missing her, are all 

 on the wing, and in the utmost confusion." When 

 in this state, he could make them alight wherever 

 he pleased ; for on whatever spot he placed the 

 queen, the moment a few of them discovered her, 

 the information was rapidly communicated to the 

 rest, who in a few minutes were all collected round 

 her. In this way he would sometimes cause them 

 to settle on his head, or to hang clustered from 

 his chin, in which state they somewhat resembled 

 a beard. Again he would transfer them to his 

 hand, or to any other part of his body, or if more 

 agreeable to the spectators before whom he ex- 



