The Swarm 167 



swarms of bees flying out of the masses of honey-comb as 

 they were licked by the monkeys and bears." 



Muir pays his tribute to California Bruin's fondness for 

 honey, thus : — 



" Bears, too, roam the sweet wilderness, their blunt, 

 shaggy forms harmonizing well with the trees and tangled 

 bushes, and with the bees, also, notwithstanding the dispar- 

 ity in size. They are fond of all good things, and enjoy 

 them to the utmost, with but Httle troublesome discrimina- 

 tion, — flowers and leaves as well as berries, and the bees 

 themselves as well as their honey. Though the California 

 bears have as yet had but little experience with honey-bees, 

 they often succeed in reaching their bountiful stores, and 

 it seems doubtful whether bees themselves enjoy honey 

 with so great a relish. By means of their powerful teeth 

 and claws they can gnaw and tear open almost any hive 

 conveniently accessible. Most honey-bees, however, in 

 search of a home are wise enough to make choice of a 

 hollow in a living tree, a considerable distance above the 

 ground, when such places are to be had ; then they are 

 pretty secure, for though the smaller black and brown bears 

 climb well, they are unable to break into strong hives 

 while compelled to exert themselves to keep from falling, 

 and at the same time to endure the stings of the fighting 

 bees without having their paws free to rub them off. But 

 woe to the black bumble-bees discovered in their mossy 

 nests in the ground ! With a few strokes of their huge 

 paws the bears uncover the entire establishment, and 

 before time is given for a general buzz, bees old and young, 

 larvae, honey, stings, nest, and all are taken in one ravishing 

 mouthful." 



According to the ancients the bear's object in despoil- 

 ing bee-hives was not wholly epicurean. Pliny explains 

 that when bears come forth from their winter sleep, still 

 dull and torpid, — 



