164 



PERFECT SOCIETIES OP INSECTS. 



proceedings. 1 Besides their antenna?, the bees also cause 

 themselves to be understood by certain sounds, not indeed 

 produced by the mouth, but by other parts of their body : — 

 but upon this subject I shall have occasion to enlarge hereafter. 



That bees can remember agreeable sensations at least, is 

 evident from the following anecdote related by Huber. — 

 One autumn some honey was placed upon a window — the 

 bees attended it in crowds. The honey was taken away, and 

 the window closed with a shutter all the winter. In the 

 spring, when it was reopened, the bees returned, though no 

 fresh honey had been placed there. 2 



From the earliest times our little citizens of the hive have 

 had the character of being an irritable race. Their anger is 

 without bounds, says Virgil ; and if they are molested, this 

 character is no exaggeration. Some individuals, however, 

 they will suffer to go near their hives, and to do almost 

 any thing ; and there are others to whom they seem to 

 take such an antipathy, that they will attack them un- 

 provoked. A great deal will probably depend upon this — 

 whether any thing has happened to put them out of humour. 

 The bees usually do not attack me ; but I remember one day 

 last year, when the asparagus was in blossom, which a large 

 number were attending, I happened to go between my as- 

 paragus beds ; which discomposed them so much, that I was 

 obliged to retreat with hasty steps, and some of them flew 

 after me : I escaped, however, unstung. Thorley relates an 

 anecdote of a gentleman, who, desirous of securing a swarm 

 of bees that had settled in a hollow tree, rashly undertook to 

 dislodge them. He succeeded ; but though he had used the 

 precaution of securing his head and hands, he was so stung 

 by the furious animals that a violent fever was the con- 

 sequence, and his recovery was for some time doubtful. The 

 strength of his constitution at length prevailed ; and the hole 

 of the tree being stopped, the survivors of the battle settled 

 upon a branch, were hived, and became the dear-bought 

 property of their conqueror. 3 



i Huber, ii. 407. 2 Ibid. 375. 



3 Thorley, 16. The Psalmist alludes to the fury of these creatures, when 

 he says of his enemies, " They compassed me about like bees." (Ps. cxviii. 12.) 



