422 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
The usual narrowing of the hive mouth, although 
very helpful to an attacked colony, is not by any means 
uniformly sufficient, even at the very opening of the 
assault. Robbers that have gained confidence by 
success, present themselves with so much assurance, 
that they often slide past the guards, and get into the 
wider opening behind the doors, before they are known 
to be intruders. This happening continually, will allow 
an intimidated hive, after the narrowing of its mouth, 
to still suffer from the attack, which may slowly, yet 
surely, work its ruin in spite of the precaution taken. 
If, however, the mouth be not only narrowed, but have 
a 
Fig. 102.— Cheshire Anti-robbing Entrance, seen from beneath (Scale, i).— 
a and 6, Fixed Slips ; c. Sliding Piece ; p, Pin or Stop. 
the form of a tunnel given to it — as by two pieces 
of tile set nearly together, with a third over them — the 
would-be thieves are placed at a tremendous dis- 
advantage; they have to pass guard after guard, and, 
the moment they are challenged by one, others are at 
hand to do battle, or commence the work of eject- 
ment. The combatants fill the aperture in the tube- 
like opening, and the skirmish, which, by its excite- 
ment, gives, in ordinary arrangements, opportunity to 
sneaking watchers to slip in, bars all ingress. The 
defenders gain courage, and the marauders, finding it 
all fight and no booty, seek some new field for their 
energies ; and, to prevent these being possibly turned 
