§ I.] STINGS. 287 



their master seek to bribe them never so wisely. Then, 

 too, sometimes the bee-master himself may be dyspeptic, 

 which the unerring olfactory sense of the bees speedily 

 detects, and their anger is immediately aroused. Some 

 few persons, owing to constitutional peculiarities in their 

 breath or insensible perspiration, are objects of constant 

 animosity with bees, who, by driving them from the 

 apiary, are giving a physician's advice without charge for 

 a fee. Some of the choicest perfumes used by ladies are 

 offensive to bees ; and one may feel very certain that 

 the "fine puss gentleman," who disgusted the brave 

 Hotspur with his " pouncet-box " and praise of "''par- 

 maceti for an inward bruise," would have been speedily 

 driven from an apiary in ignominious flight. For the 

 same reason they will ferociously, and perhaps fatally, 

 attack a sweaty horse, while they appear to have an 

 equal antipathy to dogs. The hand should not be 

 waved near them in sprinkling, as has already been 

 remarked; nor should they so much as be pointed at 

 when disposed to be out of temper. " Abpve all," says 

 Mr. Cotton, " never blow at them ; they will try to 

 sting directly if you do." The distinguished success of 

 Burnens in his examinations was attributed ,in part by 

 Huber to his power of repressing his respiration. Con- 

 fidence is another important specific": if a person covers 

 his face with his hands the ,bees will attack and worry 

 him at once and persistently ; while a bee that is inclined 

 to sting will often prefer a person who is watching at a 



