88 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



shaken. One of my hives threw off a swarm, which settled upon the 

 branch of a plum tree ; it was hived in the 'usual way, but, in the 

 evening 1 , went back to the parent hive-tree, when it was again hived ; 

 but, in the evening, it again went back. I applied to a woman, who 

 was remarkable for her skill in the management of bees, for advice how 

 to proceed. She told me that one certain method of success was, to rub 

 the inside of the hive with the saliva of a sow ! I inquired how that was 

 to be done. She said I must put a few handfuls of oats in the hive and 

 let a sow eat out of it ; that, during the operation of munching the 

 grain, I might expect the sow to drop its saliva, which would operate 

 as a charm upon the bees, and cause them to remain in the hive. Not 

 much liking the expedient, I put on a veil, and as the swarm was issuing 

 for the third time, and settling on the same tree, I examined the 

 mouth of the parent hive, and then I beheld the queen with only one 

 wing, making vain attempts to accompany the swarm. I instantly 

 picked her up, put her into the hive, shook the swarm in upon her, 

 and all was well. After the bees remained, they immediately began to 

 work. I knew that the queen (leading off a second swarm, and conse- 

 quently being a young queen) would be barren, because impregnation 

 takes place in the air, and this queen could not fly. I therefore 

 united the next swarm I got to the colony over which she presided, 

 and v/as glad to find that, in the single combat which was sure to take 

 place between the rival queens, she of the one wing lost her life, and 

 was thrown out. — R. D.* 9 



Bird riddles.* — The Author of this pretty book (pretty, were it no 

 more than for the fine frontispiece) has given a number of very ingenious 

 riddles in rhyme, founded on the characteristics of birds, followed by 

 an excellent selection of illustrative anecdotes and details. We select 

 No. 1 1 as a specimen of the riddles, and the corresponding notes : 



*' Unceasingly busy, contentious and loud, 

 Every spring to our native trees we crowd; 

 We sometimes r< side in the mid? t of the town, 

 And strange though it may seem, we have built in a crown." 



Page 10. 



" Rooks. — Some years since, a small colony of rooks, probably a de- 

 tachment from that which had long occupied the trees in St. Dunstan's 



* The other gleanings of tiiis correspondent will be highly acceptable. Two others 

 will be inserted. 



f Sketches of Birds, in Enigmatical Verses, for the Amusement of Children. By 

 S. Ttoper. 12mo. Harvey and Dai ton, London. 1832. 



