108 THE APIARY; OU, 



the owner of the garden adjoining, we entered, having a straw hive 

 in hand, but no bees were there. After looking diligently all 

 round, and climbing the wall, thereby gaining a view of the third 

 garden, we perceived in it unmistakable signs of an unwonted 

 commotion. The occupiers of the house were intently looking at a 

 particular part of the garden, and there was a dustpan and a key, 

 with which the master had been " tanging the bees " to induce them 

 to settle. "We quickly made for the proper entrance to the garden, 

 and soon discovered our little wanderers clustered to a large flower 

 vase. Our neighbours, however, were sadly disappointed of their 

 prize, for the gardener had hastily been dispatched into the town 

 to purchase a hive for the welcome colonists. In depriving our 

 neighbours of so unexpected and cheaply acquired a treasure, we 

 could sympathise with their regret, having been much disheartened 

 half-an-hour before at our own loss ; but, of course, we could do 

 no other than claim our own bees. We gladly agreed to defray ' 

 the expense of the straw hive that had been purchased for the sake 

 of our truant swarm. After brushing the bees into the hive, and 

 leaving it propped up with a stick, in order that the stray ones 

 might join, we returned home for an hour or so, to give them time 

 to settle. Judge of our vexation when on returning to fetch the 

 hive home, we found that the refractory creatures had again 

 taken flight, and that all the work was to do over again. The 

 wasps were not to blame for this second flight of the Ligurians j 

 we judged that the swarm had been disturbed by visits from a 

 colony of bees that we discovered were living the life of outlaws 

 under the roof of an adjoining house. Although much disheartened 

 and perplexed, we at once renewed our search, and, upon enquiry, 

 found that the missing bees had taken a southerly course across the 

 turnpike road, and it was therefore necessary to ask permission to 

 search the gardens of the houses opposite. Prom one of these we 

 observed, on looking through the hedge, that the inhabitants of the 

 .next house were on the qui vive. On enquiring whether they had 

 seen a colony of bees, the wary old dame replied that she " had no 

 bees but her own," and added that " they were very much excited." 

 Having asked permission to go through the hedge to look at her 

 bees, we soon discovered our Ligurians on the top of the old lady's 

 bee-house. There was no dif&culty in identifying our own bees ; 

 their yellow rings were as good as a private mark. Quickly hiving 



