506 ENEMIES OP BEES. 



"A neighbor of mine," saith he, "in searching in the woods 

 for honey, slipped down into a great hollow tree, and there 

 sunk into a lake of honey up to the breast; where — when he 

 had stuck fast two days calling and crying out in vain for 

 help, because nobody in the meanwhile came nigh that solitary 

 place — at length, when he was out of all hope of life, he was 

 strangely delivered by the means of a great bear, which, com- 

 ing hither 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 hands about the loins, and, withal, 

 made an outcry as long as he could. The bear being thus sud- 

 denly 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 

 afraid than hurt, leaving the smeared swain in a joyful fear. ' ' 



833. The braula cneca, improperly called bee-louse, exists 

 in Italy, Southern France and other mild climates. Dr. 

 Dubini has seen queens so completely covered with them, that 

 only their legs could be seen. These lice, whose second name, 

 caeca, means blind, have been often found by us on imported 

 queens on their arrival. They are so large that they can 

 easily be taken off the queen and killed. It appears that they 

 can only propagate in warm countries, for they exist in the 

 South of Europe and are unknown either in Russia, or in 

 North America. 



824. Small ants often make their nests about hives, to 

 have the benefit of their warmth. They are annoying to the 

 Apiarist, but neither molest the bees nor are molested by 

 them. 



A sheet of tarred paper in the hive cover or cap where 

 they usually congregate will drive them away, as the smell 

 is unpleasant to them. Salt, ashes, or powdered sulphur will 

 also keep them away. 



Our limits forbid us to speak of wasps, hornets, milli- 



