ITALIAN QUEEN BEE 61 



ground and sunken down into the meshes of 

 clover and grass in a pasture at one side of 

 the University grounds. The shock of sud- 

 denly lodging thus, aroused me to medita- 

 ting over our distance from home, which 

 indeed was not far, but I was at once terri- 

 fied by observing a Mediterranean Thrush 

 on the fence a few rods away. Now, when 

 this bird turned his head ominously in our 

 direction, and his black bead eyes seemed 

 to be upon us, and I saw what a long sharp 

 bill he had, my instinct told me he was no 

 friend to Honey Bees, and that we must 

 instantly escape to the shelter of home. In 

 desperation I freed myself from the arms of 

 my strong and handsome Prince, who was 

 strangely still, and seemed cold and unable 

 to move. Telling him of danger and to 

 make all possible haste to reach the hive, I 

 disengaged myself from the strands of grass, 

 sped in a bee-line, and in a few seconds was 

 on the alighting step of our hive. My Mas- 

 ter and his wife both saw me arrive, and his 

 hand went instantly into a pocket after his 



