"TELLIN' FRIENDS."
[To THE EDITOR OF THE" SPECTATOR."] Sus—Doubtless some of your readers who are versed in the lore of the bee could throw light on the origin and antiquity of the interesting custom which forms the subject of Dr. Habberton Lulham's poem. I find a seeming allusion to it in an epigram, by an unknown author, in the Greek AnthologY :—
" Naiads and chill cattle-pastures, tell to the bees when they come on their spring-tide way, that old Leucippus perished on a winter's night, setting snares for scampering hares, and no
longer is the tending of the hives dear to him; and the pastoral dells mourn sore for him who dwelt with the mountain peak for neighbour."—(J. W. Macke,11's translation.)
—I am, Sir, &c., P. R.
[An interesting letter on the subject, dealing with the superstition as prevalent in Kashmir, appeared in the Spectator of November 13th, 1909. Whittier, we may add, wrote a poem, "Telling the Bees."—ED. Spectator.]
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