272 MANUAL OF THE APIAEY. 



immense benefit by capturing and eating our insect pests. I 

 have seen wasps carry off "currant-worms" with a celerity 

 that was most refreshing. 



As the solitary wasps are too few in numbers to do much 

 damage — even if they ever do any — any great damage which 

 may occur would doubtless come from the social paper- 

 makers. In this case, we have only to find the nests and 

 apply the torch, or hold the muzzle of a shot-gun to the nest 

 and shoot. This should be done at nightfall when the wasps 

 have all gathered home. Let us not forget that the wasps do 

 much good, and so not practice wholesale slaughter unless we 

 have strong evidence against them. 



THE KING BIRD — Tyr annus Carolinensis. 



This bird, often called the bee-martin, is one of the fly- 

 catchers, a very valuable family of birds, as they are wholly 

 insectivorous, and do immense good by destroying our insect 

 pests. The king bird is the only one of them in the United 

 States that deserves censure. Another, the chimney swal- 

 low of Europe, has the same evil habit. Our chimney swallow 

 has no evil ways. I am sure, from personal observation, 

 thafe these birds capture and eat the workers, as well as drones ; 

 and I dare say, they would pay no more respect to the finest 

 Italian Queen. Yet, in view of the good that these birds do, 

 unless they are far more numerous and troublesome than I 

 have ever observed them to be, I should certainly be slow to 

 recommend the death warrant. 



THE TOADS. 



The same may be said of the toads, which may often be 

 seen sitting demurely at the entrance of the hives, and lap- 

 ping up the full-laden bees with the lightning-like movement 

 of their tongues, in a manner which can but be regarded 

 with interest, even by him who suffers loss. Mr. Moon, the 

 well known apiarist, made this an objection to low hives ; 

 yet, the advantage of such hives far more than compensates, 

 and with a bottom-board, such as described in the chapter 

 on hives, wo shall find that the toads do very little damage. 



MICE. 



These little pests are a consummate nuisance about the 



