THE ENEMIES OF BEES. 165 



city, and escaped witli some spoil before the defenders 

 were awaie. It has ever been a marvel to witness the 

 result of one bee having intimated to its companions that 

 it has brought home a sackful of honey. How it com- 

 municates the fact, or how it commands them to go and 

 do likewise, and how they are told where to go, we cannot 

 tell; but we have seen them leave their hive in great 

 numbers, on receiving the word of command, and sacrifice 

 their lives in scores and hundreds ere the assault was 

 deemed hopeless and unavailing. Attacks are sometimes 

 suddenly made, and sometimes as suddenly ended. When 

 the bee-master sees any of his hives assaulted, and every 

 assaulting bee hurled back, he has little to fear ; and all 

 that he can do is to contract the door, and thus enable his 

 bees to defend their citadel. If the robbers have no 

 mercy, neither have the defenders. Each bee defending 

 its hive is a qualified judge and executioner. If a robber 

 is caught, lynch-law takes its course. 



Bees know each other by smell, and they know strangers 

 in the same wayl If robbers are not resisted, and kept out 

 of a hive at first, there is no attempt made to resist them 

 after having been allowed to go in and out for some time. 

 They soon pUlage the hive of all its treasure. When this 

 piUaging is taking place, the bees work late and early, 

 wet and dry. Weak hives are generally the sufferers ; 

 but sometimes strong ones, while fully employed in 

 gathering honey fast, suffer robbers to carry away what 

 they gather, and aU their stores. 



Every experienced bee-keeper knows robbers by their 

 stealthy manner of attempting to enter hives for plunder, 

 and he knows them by the way in which they come out 

 of the hives laden with it. This knowledge cannot be 

 obtained by reading, but is gained by observation. 



