154 
ENEMIES OF BEES. 
a few have left their comfortable dwelling, they are 
quickly chilled, and in a very short period are past 
recovery. But with ordinary precautions, in stop- 
ping crevices, and providing a sufficient external co- 
vering, a well-peopled and well-provided hive runs 
no hazard from even the severest winter. Consist- 
ently with that wisdom that shines forth in every 
part of creation, insects that feed upon leaves, flowers, 
and green succulent plants are generally in a torpid 
state during the winter, when they cannot procure 
for themselves subsistence abroad. Bees arc in this 
state, and eat little, while cold weather lasts ; but 
Iv, not giving any rest to de enimi ; part oncountring wit dem 
dat ar widout, part wit dem dat hav® broken in, worn® in a 
wile dey draw out by de heels, soom ded, and soom aliv® 
Lik'wis®, witout, you may see soom slain outrigt wit de trust 
of de speer; soom so dedly woonded, dat dey ai® not ablo to 
go tree foot from de plac® ; and soom more lightly strooken, 
presently to los® de us® of deir wings, and for a wile to leap up 
and down, forward and backward, lik® mudd tings ; so lot® ar 
dese coorngious warriers to yeeld on eider aid® until der® bee 
no remodi®. If do tru' men cannot kil de teev®s, yet wil dey 
hold dem by de legs or by de wings, in hop® to hav* help, 
dowg (though) dey bee drawn after. Moreover, de young sol- 
diers, wic hav® scare' been abroad befor', you sal see de elder 
sort go round about dem,smooding (smoothing) and trimming 
dem in every plac®, as if dey did address and hearten dem to 
figt. De battel being ended, by rcpuls of de enimi, dos® 
corpses wic de wasps hav' left — for, like vulture, de wasps 
during de battel prey upon de ded carka3es — dey honestly 
buri as far from de hives as dey ean her® dem. And den dey 
draw togeder at de citti-gat®s, and der" dey buz on' to anoder, 
as if in deir languag® dey did talk of de figt, and commend 
on® and oder for deir fortitud'.” 
