144 THE HONEY-BEE. 



slowly-moving creatures may easily be caught and 

 taken away, so as to do no more mischief. 



We must not pass from this part of our subject 

 without speaking of the aptness of bees to rob one 

 another. If an unfortunate individual makes the 

 mistake of going to a hive not its own, it will im- 

 mediately be seized as an intruder. In the hope of 

 propitiating the assailants, it will extend its pro- 

 boscis, and offer some of its internal honey-store. 

 Nor will the custodians refuse to accept what is 

 evidently intended as a peace-offering ; but they will 

 not cease their attempt to drag off or to kill the 

 interloper, who is happy if able to escape from the 

 onslaught. This kind of robbery is, in a manner, 

 to be regarded as justifiable. 



Such is not the case, however, with the organised 

 or desultory pillage which frequently goes on when 

 the inability of a stock to defend itself has been 

 discovered by its neighbours. We have known the 

 contents of a hive completely cleared out by " robber- 

 bees " in a few hours, crowds of them rushing in and 

 filling themselves. Then, having carried the spoil to 

 their own homes, they will return again and again, 

 till there is nothing left for them to plunder. Of 

 course the community attacked wholly perishes in the 

 battle or from starvation. Nor is this the worst of 

 such an occurrence ; for, when once these unhallowed 

 sweets have been tasted, when these insects it must 

 be confessed, of very low morality have discovered 

 that robbery is much more easy and more productive 

 of results than honest work, they appear seized with 

 a perfect mania for living as freebooters, and will 

 attempt hive after hive, when their first onslaught 



