26 THE HIVE AND HONKY-BEE. 



sionally some improvident or unfortunate ones, who coming 

 forth without the soothing supply, are filled instead with 

 the bitterest hate against any one daring to meddle with 

 them. Such thriftless radicals are always to be dreaded, 

 for they must vent their spleen on something, even though 

 they perish in the act. 



If a whole colony on sallying forth possessed such a 

 ferocious spirit, no one could hive them unless clad in a 

 coat of mail, bee-proof; and not even then, until all the 

 windows of his house were closed, his domestic animals 

 bestowed in some place of safety, and sentinels posted at 

 suitable stations to warn all comers to keep at a safe dis- 

 tance. In short, if the propensity to be exceedingly good 

 natured after a hearty meal had not been given to the 

 bee, it could never have been domesticated, and our honey 

 would still be procured from the clefts of rocks or the 

 hollows of trees. 



A second peculiarity in the nature of the bee, of which 

 we may avail ourselves with great success, may be thus 

 stated : 



Sees cannot under any circumstances resist the 

 temptation to fill themselves with liquid sweets. 



It would be quite as difficult for them to do this, as for 

 an inveterate miser to despise a golden shower of double 

 eagles falling at his feet and soliciting his appropriation. 

 If, then, when we wish to perform any operation which 

 might provoke them, we can contrive to call their atten- 

 tion to a treat of flowing sweets, we may be sure that 

 under its genial influence they will allow us to do what 

 we please, so long as we do not hurt them. 



Special care should be used not to handle them roughly, 

 for they will never allow themselves to be pinched or hurt 

 without thrusting out their sting to resent the indignity. 

 If, as soon as a hive is opened, the exposed bees are 



