AFTER THE FEAST 251 
changing the queen, and thus in the end exter- 
minating the original stock. Where this is in 
his own garden, there will be no difficulty in the 
matter; but often the robbers are wild bees, 
brigands inhabiting a hollow tree in some neigh- 
bouring wood, and making sudden raids upon 
their law-abiding neighbours in adjacent villages, 
after the manner of brigands all the world over. 
The strangers have often a peculiar appearance, 
which singles them out immediately from the 
legitimate members of the gardens. They are 
darker in colour and shinier ; and they have a bold, 
yet furtive, way of getting about, which suggests 
at once the prowling marauder. 
Wandering among the hives on a fine Sep- 
tember morning, several of these light-fingered, 
sinister folk may be seen hovering about the 
entrance to a hive, or trying to creep in unob- 
served. Their presence is promptly detected, and 
a sudden hubbub arises as the guard-bees set upon 
the intruders and drive them off. There is no 
doubt of their intention. They are spies from the 
robber camp, and their object is to discover those 
hives which are weak in population, and so will fall 
the easier prey to the depredators when in force. 
Strong stocks have little to fear from robbers ; 
they can always hold their own against attack, and 
therefore are seldom molested. 
These scouts disappear for a time, and the hive 
settles down to its wonted, busy tranquillity. But 
