The Life of the Bee 
swarm of the previous year; and is natu- 
rally reluctant to venture far into space, 
having indeed almost forgotten the use 
of her wings. 
The bee-keeper waits till the mass be 
completely gathered together; then, hav- 
ing covered his head with a large straw 
hat (for the most inoffensive bee will con- 
ceive itself caught in a trap if entangled 
in hair, and will infallibly use its sting), 
but, if he be experienced, wearing neither 
mask nor veil; having taken the precau- 
tion only of plunging his arms in cold 
water up to the elbow, he proceeds to 
gather the swarm by vigorously shaking 
the bough from which the bees depend 
over an inverted hive. Into this hive the 
cluster will fall as heavily as an over-ripe 
fruit. Or, if the branch be too stout, he 
can plunge a spoon into the mass; and 
deposit where he will the living spoonfuls, 
as though he were ladling out corn. He 
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