366 THE BEE keeper's MAimAI., 



ed English Apiarian, Wildmaa, waa aceustomeii to per- 

 form ; wha having once secured the ^ueen of a hive, could 

 make the bees cluster on his head, or hang, like a flowing 

 beard, in terge festoons, from his chin. Wildman, for a 

 iong time, made as great a mystery of his wonderful per- 

 formances, as the spirit-rappers of the present day, do of 

 theirs ; but at last, he was induced to explain his whole 

 mode of procedure ; and the magic control' which he pos- 

 sessed over the bees, and which was, by the ignorant, as- 

 cribed to his having bewitched them, was found to be owing 

 entirely to his superior acquaintance with thetr instincts,, 

 and his uncommon dexterity and boldnessv 



" Such was the spell, which round a Wild'man's arm 

 Twin'd in diarlc wreaths the fa'scinated swarm ; 

 Brigiit o'er his breast the glittering legions led,, 

 Or with a living garland boqnd his head. 

 His dextrous hand, with 6rm yet hurtless hold, 

 Could seize the chief, known by her scales of gold, 

 Prune 'mid the wondering train her filmy wing, 

 Or o'es her folds the silken fettei fling.." 



Evans. 



M. Lombard, a skillfal French Apiarian narrates the 

 following interesting oceurrenee, which shows how peacea- 

 ble bees are in swarr»ing time, and how easily managed by 

 those who have both skill and eonfiidence'. 



" A young girl of my acqiraintence," he says, " was 

 greatly afraid of beesybat was completely cured of her fear 

 by the following imcid'eBt. A swairm having come off, I 

 observed the qireen alight by herself at a little distance 

 from the Apiary. I immediately called my little friend that 

 I might show her the queen ; she wished to see her more 

 nearly, so after having caused her to pi*t on her gloves, I 

 gave the queen into her hand. We were- in an instant sur- 

 rownded by the whole bees of the swarm. In this emer- 

 gency I encoupaged the girl to be steady, bidding her be 



