26 THE HIVE AND HOXET-BEB. 



not occasionally some improvident or unfortunate ones, 

 -who, coming forth without the soothing supply, are filled 

 instead with the bitterest hate against any one daring to 

 meddle with them. Such thriftless radicals are always to 

 be dreaded, for they must vent their spleen on something, 

 even though they perish in the act. 



If a whole colony on sallying forth possessed such a 

 ferocious spirit, no one could hive them unless clad in a 

 coat of mail, bee-proof; and not even then, until all the 

 windows of his house were closed, his domestic annuals 

 bestowed in some place of safety, and sentinels posted at 

 suitable stations to warn all comers to keep at a safe dis- 

 tance. In short, if the propensity to be exceedingly 

 good-natured after a hearty meal had not been given to 

 the bee, it could never have been domesticated, and our 

 honey would still be procured from the clefts of rocks or 

 the hollows of trees. 



A second peculiarity in the nature of the bee, of which 

 we may avail ourselves with great success, may be thus 

 stated : 



JBees cannot under any circumstances resist, the temp- 

 tation to Jill themselves with liquid sweets. 



It would be quite as difiicult for them to do this, as for 

 an inveterate miser to despise a golden shower of double 

 eagles falling at his feet and soliciting his appropriation. 

 If, then, when we wish to perform any operation which 

 might provoke them, we can contrive to call their atten- 

 tion to a treat of flowing sweets, we may be sure that 

 under its genial influence they will allow us to do what 

 we please, so long as we do not hurt them. 



Special care should be used not to handle them rough- 

 ly, for they will never allow themselves to be pinched or 

 hurt -without thrusting out their sting to' resent the in- 

 dignity. If, as soon as a hive is opened, the exposed 



