148 
DISEASES OF BEES. 
serration, we are satisfied that this insect is subject 
only to one malady, namely, dysentery. Vertigo has 
been spoken of by many writers, especially on the 
continent, as one of their ailments, but, we think, 
without sufficient grounds. We have occasionally 
seen bees in that state of dizziness which is ascribed 
to vertigo, but have invariably found that when seized 
and held in the hand for a second or two, and again 
let go, they return to their usual occupation without 
any marks of disease. Swelling of the antennce is 
also mentioned os a bee-malady, — we have never 
seen an instance of it, and, from its being unnoticed 
even by many of those naturalists who have furnished 
long lists of the disorders of bees, it seems to have as 
little foundation in reality as vertigo. In fact, dysentery 
appears to be the only serious disorder to which these 
insects are liable, and various causes have been as- 
signed for it, such as their feeding on lioney-dew, on 
the juices of certain fruits, on plants of a poisonous 
nature, on honey alone without a due mixture of 
pollen, &c. &c. No evidence from accurate experi- 
ment has been adduced in favour of these theories, 
and, perhaps, their inapplicability is established by 
the fact that a well peopled hive is never assailed by 
this disorder, provided its inmates are in the full en- 
joyment of their liberty. We are led to conclude, 
therefore, that it proceeds simply from long confine- 
ment, by which the necessary evacuations are pre- 
vented. It is well known that the bees, when in 
health, never void their excrement within the hive. 
When their owners, therefore, from mistaken care. 
