154 ENEMIES OF BEES. 



a few have left their comfortable dwelling, they are 

 quickly chilled, and in a very short period are past 

 recovery. But with ordinary precautions, in stop- 

 ping crevices, and providing a sufficient external co- 

 vering, a well-peopled and well-provided hive runs 

 no hazard from even the severest winter. Consist- 

 ently with that wisdom that shines forth in every 

 part of creation, insects that feed upon leaves, flowers, 

 and green succulent plants are generally in a torpid 

 state during the winter, when they cannot procure 

 for themselves subsistence abroad. Bees are in this 

 state, and eat little, while cold weather lasts ; but 



ly, not giving any rest to de enimi ; part encountring wit dem 

 dat ar widout, part wit dem dat hav broken in, worn 6 in a 

 wile dey draw out by de heels, soom ded, and soom aliv* 

 Lik e wis e , witout, you may see soom slain outrigt wit de trust 

 of de speer ; soom so dedly woonded, dat dey ar 6 not able to 

 go tree foot from de plac e ; and soom more lightly strooken, 

 presently to los e de us 6 of deir wings, and for a wile to leap up 

 and down, forward and backward, lik e madd tings ; so lot e ar 

 dese cooragious warriers to yeeld on eider sid e until der 6 bee 

 no remedi 6 . If de tru e men cannot kil de teev'te, yet wil dey 

 hold dem by de legs or by de wings, in hop 6 to hav e help, 

 dowg (though) dey bee drawn after. Mor e over, de young sol- 

 diers, wic hav 6 scare 6 been abroad befor 6 , you sal see de elder 

 sort go round about dem, smooding (smoothing) and trimming 

 dem in every plac 6 , as if dey did address and hearten dem to 

 figt. De battel being ended, by repuls of de enimi, doa 6 

 corpses wic de wasps hav 6 left for, like vulturs, de wasps 

 during de battel prey upon de ded carkases dey honestly 

 buri as far from de hives as dey can her 6 dem. And den dey 

 draw togeder at de citti-gat e s, and der 6 dey buz on 6 to anoder, 

 as if in deir languag 6 dey did talk of de figt, and commend 

 on e and oder for deir fortitud 6 ." 



