330 INSECT MISCELLANIES, 



despatching her, instant victory is the consequence ; 

 for the assaulted bees always desist and join the 

 victors, the moment they are apprised of their queen's 

 death, become as one fraternity, and assist to carry 

 their own treasure to their new habitation. But in case 

 the queen is protected, they fight on with rage and 

 fury, and death and pillage soon destroy the stock.'* 



Mouffet's account is somewhat different. ' Theeves,' 

 he says, ' being naturally odious to the bees, steal 

 upon their labours when they are absent, wasting and 

 spoyling their provision of honey. Yea, they do so 

 glut themselves in the meanwhile, that they are not 

 able many times to get out again, they are so full, or 

 to stand in their own defence ; whereupon the bees, 

 at their return, without any more adoe, severely 

 punish them, and, according to their just demerits, 

 kill them outright.' Again he says, ' the bees have 

 watchmen which observe at night when they come 

 home, and they defend and secure them from the 

 theeves, and if they spie a thief come in they set upon 

 him and beat him, throw him out of doors, and there 

 leave him for dead, or half dead at least ; for so it 

 happens, that the thief having filled himself with 

 honey is not able to fly away, but tumbles up and 

 down at the door of the hive, till they that goe out 

 finde him, and having branded him with ignominy and 

 scorn, deprive him of his life.'| Keys says, that 

 when a hive does not appoint watch-bees, nor show 

 resentment upon the intrusion of robbers, it is a sure 

 sign of their weakness. J 



Sometimes, it is reported, small parties of three 

 or four will unite to rob, as we may say, on the 

 highway. These waylay straggling individuals, or 

 a humble-bee {Bombus) as it returns to its hive 

 loaded with honey. The robbers then make their 



* Keys's Treatise, p. 174 ; ed. 1814. 

 t Theatre of Insects, d. 921. t Keys, p. 175. 



