AFTER THE FEAST 251 



changing the queen, and thus in the end exter- 

 minating the original stock. Where this is in 

 his own garden, there will be no difficulty in the 

 matter ; but often the robbers are wild bees, 

 brigands inhabiting a hollow tree in some neigh- 

 bouring wood, and making sudden raids upon 

 their law-abiding neighbours in adjacent villages, 

 after the manner of brigands all the world over. 

 The strangers have often a peculiar appearance, 

 which singles them out immediately from the 

 legitimate members of the gardens. They are 

 darker in colour and shinier ; and they have a bold, 

 yet furtive, way of gettiftg about, which suggests 

 at once the prowling marauder. 



Wandering among the hives on a fine Sep- 

 tember morning, several of these light-fingered, 

 sinister folk may be seen hovering about the 

 entrance to a hive, or trying to creep in unob- 

 served. Their presence is promptly detected, and 

 a sudden hubbub arises as the guard-bees set upon 

 the intruders and drive them off. There is no 

 doubt of their intention. They are spies from the 

 robber camp, and their object is to discover those 

 hives which are weak in population, and so will fall 

 the easier prey to the depredators when in force. 

 Strong stocks have little to fear from robbers ; 

 they can always hold their own against attack, and 

 therefore are seldom molested. 



These scouts disappear for a time, and the hive 

 settles down to its wonted, busy tranquillity. But 



