70 THE BOOK OF THE HONEY BEE 



for examining both sides of the frames. This advice 

 may seem at first sight trivial, but that it is not so the 

 writer has amply proved. 



Everything about the hive should be done quietly, 

 without jerkiness or jarring, and all movements with 

 the hands should be deliberate. A sudden, rapid move- 

 ment of the hands over the exposed frames is almost 

 certain to invite a sting. The hissing note of an angry 

 bee needs only to be heard once to be readily recog- 

 nised when heard again, the sound being totally unlike 

 the peaceful hum of a bee in its normal condition. 

 If an odd bee or two threaten, don't beat a hasty re- 

 treat, but stand firmly and put on as bold a front as is 

 possible under the circumstances, when it will be found 

 as often as not that, after one or two fierce darts, the 

 enemy will retire. 



Breath and perspiration are both obnoxious to 

 bees. The remedy is obvious. This fact has long 

 been recognised, and the advice so quaintly tendered 

 by Butler more than two hundred and fifty years 

 ago is so good that it is impossible to refrain from 

 quoting it. 



" If thou wilt have the favour of thy Bees, that they 

 sting thee not, thou must avoid some things which 

 offend them : thou must not be unchaste and uncleanly ; 

 for impurity and sluttiness (themselves being most 

 chaste and neat) they utterly abhor : thou must not 

 come among them smelling of sweat, or having a stink- 

 ing breath, caused either through eating of leeks, onions, 

 garlick, and the like, or by any other means, the 

 noisomeness whereof is corrected with a cup of beer ; 

 thou must not come puffing and blowing unto them, 

 neither hastily stir among them, nor resolutely defend 

 thyself when they seem to threaten thee ; but softly 

 moving thy hand before thy face, gently put them by ; 

 and lastly, thou must be no stranger unto them. In a 



