PROTECTION AGAINST ROBBERS. 



165 



legged animal takes honey, hive, and all*. We had so 

 frequently suffered from the depredations of this animal, 

 that we determined to devise those means, by which our 

 property might be protected. "We therefore adopted the 

 following plan. The pedestal on which we place our 

 hives is about three inches in diameter, through which a 

 hole is bored of sufficient extent as to 

 admit a chain of a tolerable size. We 

 then place the machine, which is 

 made of strong iron hoops, over the 

 hive : the longer end of the chain is 

 passed on one side through the hole 

 and meeting in the other, a good 

 strong padlock is attached, which un- 

 less the aforesaid animal be an adept 

 in the picking of locks, imparts secu- 

 rity to our property. The annexed 

 drawing is a representation of our 

 hive, as it stands in the garden with 

 the protecting machine affixed to it. 



The editor of the Naturalist's Library has attempted to 



* We had once three hives stolen from our apiary at Acton, the robbers of 

 which were detected and taken into custody. The hives had been suffocated, 

 and were properly secured with cloths for the purpose of effecting their re- 

 moval. On the following morning, the culprits were taken before the 

 magistrates at Marlborough street police office, and for the purpose of identi- 

 fying the hives, the cloths were ordered to be removed from them. It ap- 

 peared that the suffocation had not been completed, for a number of bees had 

 recovered during the night, and the cloths were no sooner removed, than the 

 bees sallied forth to enjoy the freshness of the open air. The office was soon 

 filled by the unwelcome intruders — the magistrates were thrown into con- 

 sternation, the clerk hid his head under the table, the valiant officers ran out 

 of the office, followed by the reporters, witnesses, jailors, constables and all 

 the unsoaped idlers of a police office,— the most abusive epithets were cast 

 upon the poor bees, and upon those who brought them thither. All business 

 was suspended ; whilst to us it was a scene of merriment and amusement to 

 see a whole police office thrown into commotion by a few dozen bees, which 

 had the windows been opened would have rejoiced to effect their escape, 

 rather than run the risk of being committed by the magistrates as a posse of 

 lawless vagabonds. 



