304 SENSES OF BEES. 



antipathy to particular individuals. Their aver- 

 sion, in all probability, arises from the persons 

 disliked having some peculiar odour about them, 

 which though not unpleasant to man, may be so 

 to bees. Whatever the odour, it seems to be 

 transmitted by the breath : HUBER was of this 

 opinion. Speaking of the impunity with which his 

 assistant Francis Burnens performed his various 

 operations upon bees, he observes that "the gentle- 

 ness of his motions, and the habit of repressing 

 his respiration, could alone preserve him from the 

 wrath of such formidable insects." 



The different reception which persons experi- 

 ence on approaching the domicile of bees is at- 

 tributed by some apiarians to the different degrees 

 of confidence manifested in the approach : they are 

 of opinion, that if visitors could avoid the exhibi- 

 tion of all apprehension, they would not be 

 attacked. My own experience has long convinced 

 me of the erroneousness of this opinion : and a 

 circumstance which occurred to MONSIEUR DE 

 HOFER, Conseilleur d'etat du GRAND Due DE 

 BADEN, strengthens my dissent from it. He had 

 for years been a proprietor and an admirer of bees, 

 and almost rivalled Wildman in the power he 

 possessed of approaching them with impunity : he 

 would at any time search for the queen, and taking 

 hold of her gently, place her upon his hand. But 

 having been unfortunately attacked with a violent 



