Curious Customs and Beliefs 353 



instruments, restrain them when swarming, and induce them 

 to settle instead of flying away. 



The belief that bees can be stopped by noise was com- 

 mon in the time of Aristotle and is thus referred to by him : 



" Bees also appear to have pleasure in noises, so that 

 they say that they collect them into their hives by striking 

 earthen vessels and making noises." 



Observe the caution with which Aristotle makes the 

 statement and he immediately adds : — 



" But it is very doubtful whether they hear or not, and if 

 they hear whether they collect together from pleasure or 

 from fear." 



Evidently the mental characteristics of the scientist have 

 in no wise changed since the time of Aristotle — only time 

 has revealed somewhat more accurate methods for finding 

 results. 



The real origin of the wide-spread belief that a loud noise 

 will prevent the bees from leaving is somewhat obscure. 

 It is not improbable, however, that the custom of making a 

 noise arose for very utilitarian reasons, with which the 

 weapon-dance of the Curetes and the church bells alike had 

 nothing to do, these being later fictions to account for a 

 primitive custom. 



A swarm of bees is easily lost, as it flies swiftly, and at 

 the departure of one the ringing of bells or otherwise 

 making a din would put everybody on the guard to track 

 it. Also, if the neighbors were notified of the leaving of 

 a swarm they would know to whom it belonged if it came 

 to them and would have an opportunity of restoring it. 



Whoever loses a swarm of bees is at liberty to follow 

 them wherever they go, and " by one of the laws of Alfred 

 the Great all keepers were bound to ring a bell when their 

 bees were swarming, to give notice to their neighbors of the 

 fact." 



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