288 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. [Ch. VT. 



supposed safe distance, judging such person afraid, and 

 probably also seeing him better. 



Again, when once a bee has stung, the scent of the 

 poison has an infuriating effect upon others ; therefore, 

 says Butler, " you had best be packing as fast as you 

 can.'' Hofler, who lived in the same century, gives the 

 advice, "Never approach the bees with your hat off; for 

 a bee which may chance to have settled upon the head 

 becomes easily entangled in the hair, grows angry, stings, 

 and moreover calls others to its aid by its hissing passion- 

 ate note." They have a dislike for woollen gloves, also 

 to some kinds of leather ones. If used to attendants in 

 light clothes it is said they will attack a visitor whose dress 

 is dark. Electricity in the air appears also to rufHe them ; 

 and when kept at home by rain, or at night or early 

 morning, they will resent any interference. In very hot 

 weather, too, those inside the hive are sure to be in a 

 bad humour. Von Berlepsch states that to disturb the 

 combs at such a time may perhaps, by breaking them, 

 even cause a civil war in the hive, as once happened 

 to himself when exhibiting an Italian queen and brood 

 to some over-curious tyros, and when, out of some 

 seventy or eighty thousand bees, one-half were slain in 

 the course of an hour. Lastly, they are in a stinging 

 mood when they are queenless and before they have got 

 over the agitation ; also when in excitement during her 

 majesty's nuptial excursion. The best time to choose 

 for operations is when, with the hive in a normal con- 



