FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 213 



after the honey is all gone, but they stick to that one 

 spot, and if the empty comb is left there, they keep hunt- 

 ing it all over and over, and by and by conclude the 

 honey is all used out of it and go about their business. 

 If the section is taken away and nothing left in its place, 

 they seem to think they have made a mistake as to the 

 place and hunt all around for the missing section, until 

 they force their way into the nearest conquerable colony. 

 If a weak colony is attacked, I may sometimes take 

 it away, but if I do, I immediately put in its place an 

 empty hive in which I put some scraps of comb contain- 

 ing a little honey. They will rob this out and that will 

 be the end of it. It is possible that dry comb without 

 any honey might answer. 



Fifi. 72. — jVo. I? Closed for Sauling. 

 ROBBING, FAULT OF BEE-KEEPER. 



Except in case of queenless colonies, I am somewhat 

 of the opinion that most cases of robbing have been 



