BEARS—BEE-LICE. 475 
resent an injury. As they are usually swallowed without 
being crushed, they do not instinctively thrust out their 
stings, and before they can recover from their surprise, 
they are safely entombed. 
822. Bears are exceedingly fond of honey; and in coun- 
tries where they abound, great precautions are needed to 
prevent them from destroying the hives. 
In that quaint but admirably common-sense work, entitled, 
‘© The Feminine Monarchie, written out of Experience, by 
Charles Butler; printed in the year 1609,’ we have an 
amusing adventure, related by a Muscovite ambassador to 
Rome: 
“ 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 
lengtb, when he was out of all hope of life, he was strangely 
delivered by the means of a great bear, which, coming hither 
about the same business that he did, and smelling the honey, 
stirred with his striving, clambered up tg 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 
loud as he could. The bear being thus suddenly 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 afeard than hurt, leaving 
the smeared swain in a joyful fear.” 
823. The braula ceca or bee-louse, exists in Italy and 
other warm countries. Dr. Dubinihas seen queens so com- 
pletely covered with them, that only their legs could be seen. 
These lice, whose second name, ceca, 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 
