The Swarm 169 



two years a particular fox came every winter to overthrow 

 my hives. I put a chicken and some bread to amuse him, 

 and some poison to Icill him ; but, no, the cunning thief 

 would not touch either; he went directly to the hives. 

 Mark the sagacity of the animal ; he would not come in 

 summer, when the bees were in full vigor, as he knew in 

 what manner he would be received ; but he steals slyly to 

 the hives when the inhabitants are in a state of torpor, and 

 thus obtains their treasure without incurring any danger 

 himself." 



Pigs have been known to overturn hives for the sake of 

 their contents. 



Some species of badger are very fond of honey, and 

 Menzel tells of one that bites the trees containing wild 

 honey out of rage because he cannot clamber up to it, and 

 by the traces of these bites the inhabitants discover the 

 bee-trees. 



In South America is found the honey-bear, or kinkajou, 

 about as large as a cat, very strong and active, and a great 

 destroyer of wild bees, for the sake of getting their honey. 

 It lives in trees and has a long tongue, which helps it to 

 appropriate the stolen sweets. 



There is an East Indian bear, the sloth-bear, or aswail, so 

 fond of honey that it is named mellursus, or the honey-bear. 



The mouse in some places is a great nuisance to bee- 

 keepers, making its nest in the roof of straw hives, whence 

 it is able to sally forth and regale itself at its pleasure. 



Some birds have an appetite for bees, which has led to 

 their banishment by the bee-keeper. 



Among these the tomtit, or titmouse, has a very bad 

 reputation, being accused by no less an authority than 

 Buffon of scratching and tapping at the hives to induce the 

 sentinel bees to come forth, when one after the other they 

 are caught and swallowed. 



