MISMANAGKMENT OF BEES. 201 



trast between the conduct of bees at home and abroad, to 

 reserve all their pleasant ways for other places than the 

 domestic roof ; for, towards the members of its own family 

 the bee is all kindness and devotion ; and while, among 

 human beings, a mother is often treated by her own children 

 with disrespect or neglect, among bees she is always waited 

 upon with reverence and affection. 



400. Hnber has demonstrated, that bees have an ex- 

 ceedingly acute sense of smell, and that unpleasant odors 

 quickly excite their anger.* Long before his time, Butler 

 said, " Their smelling is excellent, whereby, when they fly 

 aloft into the air, they will quickly perceive anything under 

 them that they like, even though it be covered." They 

 have, therefore, a special dislike to those whose habits are 

 not neat,t and who bear about them a perfume not in the 

 least resembling 



" Sabean odors 

 From the spicy shores of Araby the blest." 



A horse, when assailed by them, is often killed ; as, in- 

 stead of running away, like most other animals, it will 

 plunge and kick until it falls overpowered. The Apiary 

 should be fenced in, to prevent horses and cattle from 

 molesting the hives. We have known of a horse, which 

 happening to be loose in a bee-yard, was attacked by a few 

 bees. In trying to defend himself against them by kicking 

 and rolling he upset one hive and then another, till tens of 

 thousands of bees assailed him, and the poor animal was 



• strong perfumes, however pleasant to ns, are disagreeable to beea; and 

 Aristotle observes, that they will sting those scented with them. We have 

 known persons ignorant of this fact to be severely treated by bees. 



t Some persons, however cleanly, arc assaulted by bees aa soon as they 

 approach their hives. It is related of a distinguished Apiarist that, after a 

 severe attack of fever, he was never able to be on good terms with his beea. 

 That they can readily perceive the slightest differences in smell, is apparent 

 from the fact that any number of bees, fed from a common vessel, will be gen- 

 tle towards I'ach other, while they will assail the first strange bee that alightB 

 00 the feeiUr. 



