The Sting 9 1 



According to this pious sentiment a visit to a bee-hive 

 would be a simple and final test of character, but one 

 which few of us sceptical moderns would have fortitude 

 enough to try, no matter how good of heart we might 

 know ourselves to be. 



We feel assured that bees discriminate, and while savage 

 towards one are friendly towards another. But if theirs 

 is a moral standard it is different fi-om ours, for in these 

 days they are as prone to attack the most inoffensive of 

 the human race — according to our estimation — as they 

 are to grant immunity to the greatest rascal. It is to be 

 feared that manner of moving, texture of skin, or exhala- 

 tions from the body mfluence modern bees more surely 

 than goodness or badness of heart. 



Other uses of bee stings are recorded, a knowledge of 

 which no doubt would have filled the mind of our historian 

 with satisfaction. 



We learn from L'Abbe Delia Rocca, who resided at one 

 time in the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, that : 

 "A small corsair, equipped with forty or fifty men, and 

 having on board some bees, purposely taken from a 

 neighboring island, and confined in earthen hives, was pur- 

 sued by a Turkish galley. As the latter boarded her, the 

 sailors threw the hives from the masts down into the galley. 

 The earthen hives broke into fragments and the bees dis- 

 persed all over the boat. The Turks, who had looked on 

 the small corsair with contempt, as an easy prey, did not 

 expect so singular an attack. Finding themselves defence- 

 less against the stings, they were so frightened, that the 

 men of the corsair, who had provided themselves with 

 masks and gloves, took possession of the galley, almost 

 without resistance." 



And again : — 



" Amurat, Emperor of Turkey, having besieged Alba [in 



