26 
TIIE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
not occasionally some improvident or unfortunate ones, 
who, coming forth without the soothing supply, are filled 
instead with the bitterest hate against any one daring to 
meddle with them. Such thriftless radicals are always to 
be dreaded, for they must vent their spleen on something, 
even though they perish in the act. 
If a whole colony on sallying forth possessed such a 
ferocious spirit, no one could hive them unless clad in a 
coat of mail, bee-proof; and not even then, until all the 
windows of his house were closed, his domestic animals 
bestowed in some place of safety, and sentinels posted at 
suitable stations to warn all comers to keep at a safe dis- 
tance. In short, if the propensity to be exceedingly 
good-natured after a hearty meal had not been given to 
the bee, it could never have been domesticated, and our 
honey would still be procured from the clefts of rocks or 
the hollows of trees. 
A second peculiarity in the nature of the bee, of which 
we may avail ourselves with great success, may be thus 
stated : 
Bees cannot under any circumstances resist the temp- 
tation to Jill themselves with liquid sweets. 
It would be quite as difficult for them to do this, as for 
an inveterate miser to despise a golden shower of double 
eagles falling at his feet and soliciting his appropriation. 
If, then, when we wish to perform any operation which 
might provoke them, we can contrive to call their atten- 
tion to a treat of flowing sweets, we may be sure that 
under its genial influence they will allow us to do what 
we please, so long as we do not hurt them. 
Special care should be used not to handle them rough- 
ly, for they will never allow themselves to be pinched or 
hurt without thrusting out their sting to resent the in- 
dignity. If, as soon as a hive is opened, the exposed 
