40 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 



of fact, and it is much more probable that no 

 effect whatever is produced on the bees by the 

 ringing. 



With regard to the right of a bee-keeper to 

 follow his swarm into a neighbour's land, it is 

 interesting to have the assurance of one of these 

 ancient writers that " if they will not be stayed, 

 but, hasting on still, goe beyond your bounds ; 

 the ancient Law of Christendome permitteth you 

 to pursue them whithersoever, for the recovery 

 of your owne." But, the writer adds, if your 

 swarm goes so fast and so far that you lose sight 

 and hearing of them, you also lose all right and 

 property in them. In this case you have no 

 legal alternative but to leave the bees to whom- 

 soever may first find them. In view of recent 

 disputes on this matter, wherein the law laid 

 down appears to have been both vague and 

 arbitrary, it is useful to be able to point to so 

 ancient an authority in vindication of the bee- 

 keeper's rights. 



There is hardly any detail in bee-government 

 which had not its curious observance or super- 

 stition in mediaeval times. One and all seemed 

 to believe in the old Virgilian notion that bees 

 carried about little stones to balance their flight 

 during windy weather, and some even thought 

 that flowers were carried about in the same way. 

 Red-coloured clothing was supposed to be par- 

 ticularly offensive to bees, and one is warned not 



