288 PHYSIOLOGY. 



If a bee be provoked to dart its sting against 

 glass, so as to eject its venom upon it, and the 

 glass thus charged be placed upon a double mi- 

 croscope, oblong pointed crystals will become vi- 

 sible ; these may be seen at first floating in the 

 venom, and gradually shooting into crystals as the 

 fluid part evaporates. 



THE ANGER OF BEES. 



I have already treated of the disposition of bees 

 to use their stings, when irritated, either by direct 

 interference with them, or by the approach of per- 

 sons to whom they have an antipathy. VIRGIL 

 has, in strong terms, noticed their irascibility : 

 when once provoked, says he, they set no bounds 

 to their anger, but 



" Deem life itself to vengeance well resign'd, 

 Die on the wound, and leave their stings behind." 



Fatal consequences occurring from their wounds 

 are not often heard of, though such I believe have 

 occasionally happened. MESSRS. KIRBY and 

 SPENCE relate an instance of a violent fever being 

 produced, by the injury they inflicted, and in 

 which the person's recovery was for some time 

 doubtful. MUNGO PARK also mentions, in his 

 Travels, an instance of severe annoyance from 

 them, and states that he lost several asses in 

 Africa owing to their being attacked by bees. 



