HVMENOPTERA. 



347 



do but to guard the door, to keep a watch over incomers and out- 1 



goers, and to prevent an enemy or an intruder from sHpping 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 wl 



Fig- 323.— Sentinel Bees guarding the entrance to the hive. 



ignificant buzzing warns it to retire. If it does not understand the ) 

 earning, which is a rare occurrence — for men, horses, dogs, and / 

 -pimals of all kinds know perfectly well the danger to which they / 

 :xpose themselves by approaching too near a hive in full operation* — ^ 



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



