ROBBING. 339 



most approved fashion, all the time singing in his ears, (not 

 your money, but) " your honey or your life ;" until utterly 

 discouraged, he delivers up his purse, by disgorging his 

 honey from its capacious receptacle. The graceless crea- 

 tures now cry, " Hands off!" and release him at once, while 

 they eagerly lick up his spoils, to be carried to their own 

 home. 



The remark is frequently made that were rogues to spend 

 half as much time and ingenuity in gaining an honest living, 

 as they do, in seeking to defraud their fellowr-men, their 

 efforts would often be crowned with abundant success. 

 Just so of many a dishonest bee. If he only knew his true 

 interests, he would be safely roving the smiling fields, in 

 search of honey, instead of longing for a tempting and yet 

 dangerous taste of forbidden sweets. 



Bees sometimes carry on their depredations on a more 

 imposing scale. Having ascertained the weakness of some 

 neighboring colony, through the sly intrusions of those who 

 have entered its hive to spy out all " the nakedness of the 

 land," they prepare for war, in the shape of a pitched battle. 

 The well-armed warriors sally out by thousands, to attack 

 the feeble hive against which they have declared -so unjust a 

 warfare. A furious onset is at once made, and the ground 

 in front of the assaulted hive, is soon covered with the dead 

 and dying bodies of innumerable victims. Sometimes the 

 baffled invaders are compelled to sound a retreat ; too often, 

 however, as in human contests, right proves but a feeble 

 barrier against superior might ; the citadel is stormed, and 

 the work of rapine and pillage forthwith begins. And yet 

 after all, matters are not nearly so bad, as at first they 

 seemed to be. The conquered bees, perceiving that there is 

 no hope for them in maintaining the unequal struggle, sub- 

 mit themselves to the pleasure of the victors ; nay more. 



