ROBBING. 341 



their entrances closed, so that only a single bee can pass at 

 once. As the bottom-board slants forward, the entrance is 

 on an inclined plane, so that the bees which defend it, have 

 a very great advantage over those which attack them ; the 

 same in short, that the inhabitants of a besieged fortress 

 would have in defending a pass-way similarly constructed. 

 As only one bee can enter ai a lime, he is sure to be over- 

 hauled, if he attempts, ever so slyly, to slip in ; his creden- 

 tials are roughly demanded, and as he can produce none, he 

 is at once delivered over to the executioners. If an attempt 

 is made to gain admission by force, then as soon as a bee 

 gets in, he finds hundreds, if not thousands, standing in 

 battle array, and meets with a reception altogethor too warm 

 for his comfort. I have sometimes stopped robbing, even 

 after it had proceeded so far that the assaulted bees had 

 ceased to offer any successful resistance, by putting my 

 blocks before the entrance, and permitting only a single bee 

 to enter at once : the dispirited colony have immediately re- 

 covered heart, and have battled so stoutly and successfully 

 as to beat off their assailants. 



When bees are engaged in robbing, Ihey will ofteo con- 

 tinue their depredations as late as possible, and not unfre- 

 quently some of them return home so late with their ill- 

 gotten spoils, that they cannot find the entrance to their own 

 hive. Like the wicked man wlio " deviseth mischief on his 

 bed, and setteth himself in a way that is not good," they 

 are all night long, meditating new violence, and with the 

 very first peep o-f light, sally out to complete their unlawful 

 doings. 



Bees with whom robbing has grown into a habit, will 



soaietimes be so intent on the dishonest pursuit, as to neglect 



their own brood ! In this strange procedure, they closely 



resemble those unnatural husbands and fathers, who, in their 



29* 



