ROBBINU. 121 



tion, success would be quite certain. But before an 

 exchange of this kind is made, it would be well, if possible, 

 to ascertain the cause of a stock being weak ; if it arises 

 from the loss of a queen, we only make the matter worse 

 by this operation. 



I will describe some of their battles, or what are called 

 battles, as it is seldom that a regular battle occurs, in 

 which both parties make a deadly eflTort to destroy the 

 other. Two queens will meet thus, and occasionally two 

 workers. Bees fight to repel invaders, but I have little faith 

 that they make war on a neighboring colony for the mere 

 sake of fighting. When bees first fly out in spiing, some 

 will settle on a neighboring hive, if they are close together, 

 but as soon as one alights, it is surrounded, the whole 

 front of the hive being sometimes covered in this way. A 

 half dozen will attack one stranger, two or three biting its 

 legs, one pulling it by the wing, another perched on its 

 back making a feint of stinging, while another is ready to 

 take what honey it has, when it has been worried suffi- 

 ciently to give it up. It is sometimes let go, after it has 

 yielded aU its honey, but is often dispatched by a sting, 

 which is almost instantly fatal. A bee is killed by a sting 

 sooner than by any other means, except crushing. When 

 stTMige bees enter a hive, which sometimes part of a re- 

 turning swarm wiU do, I have known a few thousands to 

 be kQied in five minutes. The joints are the only vulnera- 

 ble part;s of a bee. During the fight, if the object be to 

 repel pillagers, a few bees may be seen buzzing around 

 in search of an unguarded place to enter the hive. If such 

 is found, it alights and ent«rs in a moment. At other 

 times, it meets a sentinel on duty, and is on the wing 

 again, in an instant. It is occasionally more unfortunate, 

 and is seized by the guard, when it must either break 

 6 



