The Sting 103 



weapon they will instantly die ; while others, again, are of 

 opinion that such is not the case, unless the animal drives 

 it so deep as to cause a portion of the intestines to follow ; 

 and they assert, also, that after they have thus lost their 

 sting they become drones, and make no honey." 



It is true, oh, ancient and respected naturalist, that, hav- 

 ing lost its sting, our bee makes no more honey, but that it 

 thereby becomes a drone is too much for a scientific age 

 to credit. 



Bees appear to be ever conscious of their stings. They 

 never forget to use them, no matter how frightened they 

 are or how suddenly attacked. 



If a bee dehberates, it stings ; if it loses presence of 

 mind, it stings ; if it happens to think of it without any 

 provocation at all, it stings. 



Their reputation in olden time was as bad as it is to-day, 

 and Virgil says of them, — 



" They are wrathful above measure, and when provoked 

 breathe venom into their stings and leave their hidden 

 darts fixed in the veins and lay down their lives in the 

 wound." 



While Seneca feelingly remarks, — 



" Bees are the most angriest and fellest creatures that be, 

 according to the capacitie of their bodies, and leave their 

 stings in the wound." 



It is only fair to say that bees differ in disposition, and 

 that while some varieties are extremely " handy with their 

 weapons," and not at all slow to anger, other kinds are 

 much less easily provoked. 



The Italian bee has an enviable reputation for temper, 

 though occasionally a hive of Italians is ugly enough, and 

 one would do well to think twice before going too near, 

 and then not go. 



Concerning the dispositions of bees, Moffett says : — 



