ROBBING. 309 



in prison garments, and incurably given up to dishonest 

 pursuits. ^ 



Bees sometimes act the part of highway robbers ; some 

 half dozen or more of them, will waylay and attack a 

 poor humble-bee which is returning with a sack full of 

 honey to his nest, like an honest trader, jogging home with 

 a well filled purse. They seize the poor bee, and give him 

 at once to understand that they must have the earnings of 

 his industry. They do not slay him. Oh no ! they are 

 much loo selfish to endanger their own precious persons ; 

 and even if they could kill him, without losing their weap- 

 ons, they would still be unable to extract his sweets from 

 the deep recesses of his honey bag : they therefore begin to 

 bite and teaze him, after the most approved fashion, all 

 the time singing in his ears, " not your money," but, " your 

 honey or your life ;" until utterly discouraged, he delivers 

 up his purse, by disgorging his honey from its capacious 

 receptacle. The graceless creatures cry " hands off," and 

 release him at once, while they lick up his spoils and carry 

 it off to their home. 



The remark is frequently made that were rogues to spend 

 half as much time and ingenuity in gaining an honest living, 

 as they do, in seeking to impose upon their fellow-men, iheir 

 efforts would often be crowned with abundant success. 

 Just so of many a dishonest bee. If it only knew its true 

 interests, it would be safely roving the smiling fields, in 

 search of honey, instead of longing for a tempting and yet 

 dangerous taste of forbidden sweets. * 



Bees sometimes carry on their depredations on a more 

 magnificent scale. Having ascertained the weakness of 

 some neighboring colony, through the sly intrusions of those 

 who have entered the hive to spy out all " the nakedness of 

 the land," they prepare themselves for war, in the shape of 



