DISEASES OF BEES. 255 



out of all hope of life, he was strangely delivered by the 

 means of a great bear, which, coming thither about the 

 same business that he did, and smelling the honey, stirred 

 with his striving, clambered up to the top of the tree, and 

 then began to lower himself down, backwards, into it. 

 The man bethinking himself, and knowing that the worst 

 was but death, which in that place he was sure of, beclipt 

 the bear fast with both his hands about the loins, and, 

 withal, made an outcry as loud as he could. The bear 

 being thus suddenly affrighted, what with the handling 

 and what with the noise, made up again with all speed 

 possible. The man held, and the bear pulled, until, with 

 main force, he had drawn him out of the mire ; and then, 

 being let go, away he trots, more afeard than hurt, 

 leaving the smeared swain in a joyful fear." 



Ants, in some places, are so destructive, that it becomes 

 necessary to put the hives on stands, whose legs are set 

 in water.* Hy limits forbid me to speak of wasps, 

 hornets, millepedes (or wood-lice), spiders, and other 

 enemies of bees. If the Apiarian keeps his stocks strong, 

 they will usually be their own best protectors, and, unless 

 they are guarded by thousands ready to die in their 

 defence, they are ever liable to fall a prey to some of 

 their many enemies, who are all agreed on this one point, 

 at least that stolen honey is much sweeter than the 

 slow accumulations of patient industry. 



DISEASES OF BEES. 



Bees are subject to but few diseases which deserve 

 special notice. The fatal effects of dysentery have already 

 been alluded to (p. 90). "The presence of this disorder," 

 says Bevan, "is indicated by the appearance of the excre- 



* Small ants often make their nests about hives, to have the benefit of their 

 warmth, and neither molest the bees nor are molested by them. 



