most carefully polish them, or labour to gather a harvest of honey, it is never directly for themselves. This may appear somewhat paradoxical to those who have remarked that, at the end of winter, the bees consume the honey they had stored up in spring and summer. But the experiments just detailed shew, that the moment they lose the hope of a numerous progeny, they cease to gather the food which is necessary for their own preservation; life seems to them of no value when unsupported by this hope, and so they choose to die.'

The senses of smell, taste, feeling, vision, are attributed to bees, the latter in so extraordinary a degree that if a dozen hives be placed together, the bee, though at a great distance, will first rise in the air, and then, with almost the swiftness of a bullet, proceed in a straight line to its own. Of this the honey-bunters in New England take advantage. They set a plate of honey or sugar upon the ground; and in a short time this is discovered by the wild bees. Having caught two or three of those that have taken their fill, the hunter first releases one, which, rising into the air, flies straight to the nest. He now walks at right angles to the course of the bee for a few hundred yards, and then lets another go, which also, after rising, flies to the nest. Observing, with his pocket compass, the angle where the two lines formed by the two courses of the bees meet, there he knows will be the spot at which the nest is placed.

The honey-rattel, a quadruped, is equally sagacious with this biped honey-seeker. Near sunset, the rattel will sit and hold one of his paws over his eyes to get a distinct view of the bees which, at this hour, he knows are bound to their nest, and thither he follows.

• Instances have been stated in which bees recollected their queen. Another may be adduced which appears to prove that the faculty of recollection embraced a considerable lapse of time. "In autumn," says Huber, "honey had been placed in a window, where the bees resorted to it in multitudes. It was removed, and the shutters closed during winter; but when opened again

on the return of spring, the bees came back, though no honey remained undoubtedly they remembered it; therefore, an interval of several weeks did not obliterate the impression they had received."

One of the most astonishing facts connected with the economy of bees is the manner in which they repair the loss of a queen. For this purpose they construct several royal cells, and taking a common worker-worm out of the common cells, they put it into a royal one, feed the insect with royal food, which is more pungent than that destined for worker-grubs, and in a few days, instead of a worker, they have a queen. The fertility of the queen-mother is so prodigious, that in one season a single female will lay 70,000 eggs.

In Mungo Park's last mission to Africa, some of his people, having disturbed a colony of these animals, were so furiously attacked, that both man and beast were put to instant flight. The list of the killed and missing amounted to one horse and six asses-a serious loss to a white man in the midst of inhospitable deserts.

Lesser tells us, that in 1525, during the confusion occasioned by a time of war, a mob of peasants, assembling in Hoherstein, attempted to pillage the house of the minister of Elende, who having in vain employed all his eloquence to dissuade them from their design, ordered his domestics to fetch his bee-hives, and throw them into the middle of the enfuriated multitude. The effect answered his expectations: they were immediately put to flight, and happy were those who escaped unstung.'

He

Mrs. Astley, wife of Mr. Astley, sen., used to exhibit a swarm of bees on her arms, shoulders, &c.; and Mr. Wildham possessed a secret by which he could at any time cause a hive of bees to swarm upon his head, shoulders, or body, in a most surprising manner. has been seen to drink a glass of wine with the bees all over his head and face, more than an inch deep. Several fell into the glass, but none would sting him. He could even marshal them in battle array upon a large table, dividing them into regiments, battalions and companies;

and on his uttering the word march,' they would regularly march in rank and file, in the manner of soldiers, without ever attempting to sting any of the numerous company which, at different times, resorted to admire this singular spectacle.

There are other sorts of bees, whose history is little less curious. The humble bee comprises females of two sizes, males which are stingless, and neuters. In this community there is no queen, no idle males, but all share alike the common labour. The wood-boring or carpenter bee, the mason bee, the upholsterer bee, &c. lead a more solitary life, and seem to exercise a me

chanical art.

THE EOLIAN HARP.

A SONNET.

From which, with airy flying fingers light,
Beyond each mortal touch the most refined,
The God of winds drew sounds of deep delight,
Whence, with just cause,

The Harp of Eolus' it hight.
Thomson's Castle of Indolence.

SONG of the winds! thy sweet harmonious sound
Breathes on our ears celestial music's notes,
As on the liquid air the anthem floats,
Or lost in zephyrs dies along the ground.
Bright fancy sees a spirit hov'ring round,

The viewless spirit of the air, whose wings,
With touch melodious, sweep the sounding strings,
Till melts the music, in the distance drown'd:
Nature's own harp enchants the ravish'd ears,
More sweetly than the music of the spheres.'
Thus when the earth in new born verdure sprung,
And smiled triumphant in the sun's first rays,
The morning stars the sacred chorus sung,

And all the heav'nly hosts in shouts proclaim'd their praise. + GULIELMUS.

Halifax.

Job xxxiii. 7.

THE CONVICT.

A SKETCH OF 1798.

THE cottage door of Peter Roche, which opened on the high road from Wexford to Monglass, was darkened one evening in June by the entrance of a sturdy beggar; he carried a long staff in his right hand, in his left he held a wooden can, and over his shoulder was thrown a pair of meal-bags, ready to receive the contributions of the charitable. There was, however, something about him not common to his craft, his step was regular and firm, and in spite of the slouched hat, there was a keenness perceptible in his eye, which argued a spirit neither broken by misfortune nor subdued by time; the patches on his coat were evidently not the additions of poverty; and his legs exhibited that vulgar quantity of calf inconsistent with looks of sixty.

On entering, he took his seat unbidden on the settle, and cast an inquiring look on two persons, a man and a woman, sitting near the fire-side. The female was

in tears, and she cast ever and anon a look of deep anguish on a lovely baby in her lap. Her male companion exhibited no sign of despondency; there was about him, however, an aspect of melancholy concern; and he appeared to have been employed in consoling the afflicted spirit of the female.

On the stranger entering, he threw on him a look of suspicion, and the beggar felt so uneasy under his steady gaze, that he endeavoured to avert it by some common-place observation on the weather. He had hardly opened his lips, however, when the peasant pounced upon him with a tiger spring, and lifted him from his seat. Villain!' he exclaimed, you ought to have known that the cabin of affliction was not a fitting place for a spy to enter.'

·

Spy!' exclaimed the stranger, I spurn the imputation, I am a poor traveller.'

Traveller, knave, Ich (I) knows betther por that, Your meal-bags are empty-that is not beggar-like; you neither blessed yourself nor said your prayers on entering, and that was not beggar-like.

'Ay, friend, but I'm a Protestant.'

A Protestant beggar!' said the peasant, and he gave a loud demoniac laugh. Who ever heard of such a thing in Ireland. Oh, by the lady of the island, Ich (I'll) make a beggar of you before we part,' and he flung him on the floor.

No spies,' he continued, no informers for me. Blood enough has been spilt by such wretches. My brother, rest his sowl in glory! lost his life by such a wretch, and perhaps you are the man,' and he drew back as if in preparation to jump upon the prostrate stranger. His purpose was frustrated by the female, who with a wild scream dropped her infant on the floor, and threw herself between the peasant and the stranger.

'No more murder, Andy,' she said, 'the country has been deluged with blood, and the heavy hand of Heaven is on us for our crimes. Let this poor man go about his business, in God's name, and do you go about yours.'

As she spoke the beggarman had arisen, and now appeared near the dresser with a pair of pistols levelled at the peasant. 'Ho! ho?' exclaimed Andy, Ich was right enow,' and so saying he rushed out of the

house.

Fly!' said the woman to the stranger, Andy is a desperate man; he is gone for assistance, and will be back immediately.'

Thank you, good woman,' said the stranger, in a tone of voice which bespoke superior education, as he made towards the door.

Not that way,' said the female, you would be traced down the boughereen. Through this back window with you, and then creep through the knock of firs; it will hide your head if you stoop low, and may God forgive you if you intended any harm to me or mine, a poor afflicted family. The stranger turned to make her an answer, but the voice of a man from without apprised him of the necessity of a precipitate retreat; flinging his meal-bags behind, he jumped from the window and disappeared.

Next morning the cottage of Peter Roche was tenant