220 THE APIARY. 



practised in many districts, has such a nqtable effect 

 on the honey harvest. 



A novel sight for Londoners to witness occurred in 

 June, 1 865 . A swarm, having been ordered to be sent into 

 the country the following morning, was temporarily placed 

 on the leads at the back of our house, 149, Regent Street. 

 The sun shining hot on the hive, or some other cause, 

 induced the inmates to decamp. A passer-by called in to 

 inform us that some bees had arrested the progress of a 

 cab. We at once conjectured that they were those ot 

 our missing swarm, the absence of which had previously 

 puzzled us not a little ; so we sent our man with a straw- 

 hive to bring the truants back, which he succeeded in 

 doing, followed to the door by a crowd, who were 

 amazed at the sight of the " 'oney-bees," as the Cockney 

 lads called them. Cabby had to be compensated for the 

 loss of his fare, for the affrighted passengers had left him 

 in a hurry, so that, altogether, no little commotion was 

 caused — a crowd so soon collects in London streets. 

 Among the lookers-on appears to have been a reporter 

 from the Times newspaper, for, two days afterwards, the 

 following paragraph appeared in the leading journal : — 



" A Swarm of Bees in Burlington Street. — On Wed- 

 nesday afternoon, about five o'clock, not a little excitement and 

 astonishment was caused in New Burlington Street, Regent Street, 

 by the circumstance of a swarm of bees alighting on a cab whicli 

 had just drawn up at the Burlington Restaurant. A man having 

 procured a hive, set to work, and, with assistance, succeeded in 

 securing the whole of the unexpected visitors, and took them 



