20 
PLINY' S NATURAL HISTORY. 
[Book XI. 
fail the inhabitants of any particular hive, the swarm makes 
a concerted attack upon a neighbouring one, with the view of 
plundering it. The swarm that is thus attacked, at once 
ranges itself in battle array, and if the bee-keeper should 
happen to be present, that side which perceives itself favoured 
by him will refrain from attacking him. They often fight, 
too, for other reasons as well, and the two generals are to be 
seen drawing up their ranks in battle array against their op- 
ponents. The dispute generally arises in culling from the 
flowers, when each, the moment that it is in danger, summons 
its companions to its aid. The battle, however, is immediately 
put an end to by throwing dust^^ among them, or raising a 
smoke ; and if milk or honey mixed with water is placed be- 
fore them, they^speedily become reconciled. 
CHAP. 19. (18.) THE VARIOUS KINDS OF BEES. 
There are field bees also, and wild bees, ungainly in appear- 
ance, and much more irascible than the others, but remarkable 
for their laboriousness and the excellence of their work. Of 
domestic bees there are two sorts ; the best are those with 
short bodies, speckled all over, and of a compact round shape. 
Those that are long, and resemt^e the wasp in appearance, 
are an inferior kind ; and of these last, the very worst of all 
are those which have the body covered with hair. In Pontus 
there is a kind of white bee, which makes honey twice a 
month. On the banks of the river Thermodon there are 
two kinds found, one of which makes honey in the trees, the 
other under ground : they form a triple row of combs, and 
produce honey in the greatest abundance. 
I^Tature has provided bees with a sting, which is inserted in 
the abdomen of the insect. There are some who think that 
at the first blow which they inflict with this weapon they will 
instantly die,^^ while others, again, are of opinion that such is 
not the case, unless the animal drives it so deep as to cause 
a portion of the intestines to follow ; and they assert, also, 
that after they have thus lost their sting they become drones,^ 
^2 So Virgil says — 
" Hsec certamina tanta 
Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescent.'* — Georg. iv. 87. 
If it is left in the wound, the insect dies, being torn asunder. 
Of course this is fabulous, as the drones are males. 
