AN IDYL OF THE HONEY-BEE 55 



told me that one day his family had seen a number 

 of bees examining a knothole in the side of his 

 house; the next day, as they were sitting down to 

 dinner, their attention was attracted by a loud 

 humming noise, when they discovered a swarm of 

 bees settling upon the side of the house and pour- 

 ing into the knothole. In subsequent years other 

 swarms came to the same place. 



Apparently every swarm of bees, before it leaves 

 the parent hive, sends out exploring parties to look 

 up the future home. The woods and groves are 

 searched through and through, and no doubt the 

 privacy of many a squirrel and many a wood-mouse 

 is intruded upon. What cozy nooks and retreats 

 they do spy out, so much more attractive than the 

 painted hive in the garden, so much cooler in sum- 

 mer and so much warmer in winter! 



The bee is in the main an honest citizen: she 

 prefers legitimate to illegitimate business; she is 

 never an outlaw until her proper sources of supply 

 fail; she will not touch honey as long as honey 

 yielding flowers can be found; she always prefers 

 to go to the fountain-head, and dislikes to take her 

 sweets at second hand. But in the fall, after the 

 flowers have failed, she can be tempted. The bee- 

 hunter takes advantage of this fact; he betrays her 

 with a little honey. He wants to steal her stores, 

 and he first encourages her to steal his, then follows 

 the thief home with her booty. This is the whole 

 trick of the bee-hunter. The bees never suspect 

 his game, else by taking a circuitous route they 



