ROBBING AND HOW PREVENTED. 361 
The cloud of robbers arriving and departing need never 
be mistaken for honest laborers (174) carrying, with un- 
wieldy flight, their heavy burdens to the hive. These bold 
plunderers, as they enter a hive, are almost as hungry-look- 
ing as Pharaoh’s lean kine, while, on coming out, they show 
by their burly looks that, like aldermen who have dined at 
the expense of the city, they are stuffed to their utmost 
capacity. 
668. When robbing-bees have fairly overcome a colony, 
the attempt to stop them—by shutting up the hive, or by 
moving it toa new stand—if improperly conducted, is often 
far more disastrous than allowing them to finish their work. 
The air will be quickly filled with greedy bees, who, unable 
to bear their disappointment, will assail, with almost fran- 
tic desperation, some of the adjoining hives. In this way, 
the strongest colonies are sometimes overpowered, or thous- 
ands of bees slain in the desperate contest. 
How to Stop Rossine. 
When an Apiarist perceives that a colony is being 
robbed, he should contract the entrance (339), and, if 
the assailants persist in forcing their way in, he must close 
it entirely. In a few minutes the hive will be black with 
the greedy cormorants, who will not abandon it till they 
have attempted to squeeze themselves through the smallest 
openings. Before they assail a neighboring colony, they 
should be thoroughly sprinkled with cold water, which will 
somewhat cool their ardor. 
Unless the bees, that were shut up, can have an abund- 
ance of air, they should be carried to a cool, dark place, 
after the Apiarist has allowed the robbers to escape out 
of it. Early the next morning they must be examined, 
and, if necessary, united to another hive. 
