BEE. | NATURAL HISTORY. 33 
themselves by their own doom for to die by the wound of 
their own sting. Also Bees sit upon the hives and suck 
the superfluity that is in honey-combs, And it is said that 
if they did not so, thereof should attercops [7.e., spiders] 
be gendered of that superfluity, and the Bees should die. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xii. § 4. 
Ir the night falleth upon them in their journey, then 
they lie upright to defend their wings from rain and from 
dew, that they may in the morrow tide fly the more swifter 
to their work with their wings dry and able to fly. And 
they ordain watches after the manner of castles, and rest 
all night until it be day, till one Bee wake them all with 
twice buzzing or thrice, or with some manner trumping: 
then they fly all, if the day be fair on the morrow. And 
the Bees that bringeth and beareth what is needful, dread 
blasts of wind, and fly therefore low by the ground when 
they be charged, lest they be letted with some manner of 
blasts ; and chargeth themself sometime with gravel or with 
small stones, that they may be the more steadfast against 
blasts of wind by heaviness of the stones. Bees be com- 
forted with smell of crabs, if they be sodden nigh them. 
They die all with oil as such round beasts do, and namely 
_ if the head be anointed; and such beasts, set in the sun, 
quicken again if they be bespring with vinegar. And Bees 
that make honey slay the males that grieve them, and evil 
kings, that rule them not aright, but only eat too much 
honey. And no creature is more wreakful, nor more 
fervent to take wreak than is the Bee when he is wroth; 
therefore a multitude of the host of Bees throweth down 
great hedges when they be compelled to withstand them 
that destroy their honey. And Bees be pleased™ with 
harmony and melody of sound of song, and with flapping 
of hands and beating of basins. And therefore with beating 
of basins, tinging and tinking of timbers, they be com- 
forted and called to the hives. Ibid. bk. xviii, § 12. 
Wuere the Bee can suck no honey, she leaveth her 
sting behind. Lilly, “Sappho and Phaon” (Prologue). 
Fires that die on the honeysuckle become poison to 
Bees. Tbid., ii, 4. 
A Bex’s sting pricketh deepest, when it is fullest of 
honey. Tbid., iv. 4. 
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