40 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 
of fact, and it is much more probable that no 
effect whatever is produced on the bees by the 
ringing. 
With regard to the right of a bee-keeper to 
follow his swarm into a neighbour's land, it is 
interesting to have the assurance of one of these 
ancient writers that “if they will not be stayed, 
but, hasting on still, goe beyond your bounds ; 
the ancient Law of Christendome permitteth you 
to pursue them whithersoever, for the recovery 
of your owne.” But, the writer adds, if your 
swarm goes so fast and so far that you lose sight 
and hearing of them, you also lose all right and 
property in them. In this case you have no 
legal alternative but to leave the bees to whom- 
soever may first find them. In view of recent 
disputes on this matter, wherein the law laid 
down appears to have been both vague and 
arbitrary, it is useful to be able to point to so 
ancient an authority in vindication of the bee- 
keeper’s rights. 
There is hardly any detail in bee-government 
which had not its curious observance or super- 
stition in mediaeval times. One and all seemed 
to believe in the old Virgilian notion that bees 
carried about little stones to balance their flight 
during windy weather, and some even thought 
that flowers were carried about in the same way. 
Red-coloured clothing was supposed to be par- 
ticularly offensive to bees, and one is warned not 
