92 PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 



to pick up by waiting at the hive door. Our friend Mr. HuHter related to 

 na that he had found on a fence rail hundreds of the stings of bees, which 

 had apparently been extracted by these birds before regaling on their 

 bodies. A wire screen like a fire guard, will secure our bees from their 

 bills. • 



Fowls wandering in an apiary tend to weaken the hives during the sum. 

 mer, as they will coolly pick up from the alighting-board the workers as 

 they issue if the former be at a height they can reach. In any case many 

 bees resting on the ground fall a sacrifice to their restless bills ; but since, 

 •IS a rule, it is only the over-wearied labourers missing their mark as they 

 are about to enter the flight-hole that are found on the ground at aJl, and 

 then always quite close to their hive, keeping the fowls a yard or two 

 from the entrance wiU reduce their power of working mischief to limits 

 not worth consideration. 



