H Y MEN OP TERA . 



347 



do but jto 'guard the door, to keep a watch over incomers and out- 

 goers, and to prevent an enemy or an intruder from slipping into the 

 community. When one of them perceives an enemy on the borders 

 of the hive, it dashes forwards towards it, and by a menacing and 



Fig. '323. Sentinel Bees guarding the entrance to the hive. 



significant buzzing warns it to retire. If it does not understand the 

 warning, which is a rare occurrence for men, horses, dogs, and 

 animals of all kinds know perfectly well the danger to which they 

 expose themselves by approaching too near a hive in full operation* 



* The bee's sting may lead to very serious consequences. It often happens 



