
f 361 
this Conflict many perifh, wherever they fting it is 
mortal.to the Wounded, and often to the Affailant: 
If they tear off a Wing or a Leg with their Fangs, 
the Bee thus injur’d dies, or what is cqual, is of no 
farther Ufe, and not fuffered in any Hive; fo that 
it is no wonder in fuch Aflaults, Multitudes fhould 
perifh. Mr. Purchas tells us of two full Swarms, 
which might be fuppofed two Pecks of Bees, ree 
duced to lefs than a Pint by one Battle. 
When an Hive thus aflaulted happens to lofe the 
Queen-Bee in the Battle, and the true Bees join with 
the Robbers,to carry off the Honey, one may eafily 
be deceived in imagining the Hive is full of Bees ; 
for in the Day-time you fhall fee the Mouth of the 
Hive crowded, and Bees very bufy going in and out, 
but if you obferve clofe, the Bees go loaded out, 
and come empty in3 and if you look into the Hive 
inthe Night by a Candle, you fhall find it quite de- 
ferted of Bees ; but if you lookin time, you may 
perhaps get the Combs full of Honey, which you 
may take for your Pains, 
It was before adyifed, to take fuch Stocks or 
Cafts as from their Weaknefs or Poverty were 
judged moft likely to be a Prey to Robbers; but 
when they are in Danger, the beft Courfe is to fhut 
up the Grate at the Mouth of the Hive, fo as not 
to fufler a Paflage for more than two Bees at a time, 
and when they are actually attacked, to fhut up the 
Hive entirely, leaving a Quill or two, or a bit of 
‘Tobacco-pipe in the ftoppage for an Hole to let in 
Air; and the Robbers finding no Paflage to get in, 
will quit their Purpofe in three or four Days, and | 
then you may open the Paflages again: But where 
a Battle is fo far gone that you are likely to lofe 
moft of the Bees, and no Remedy proves effectual 
to ftop it, the beft way is at Night to fmother all to-+ 
gether, and take what Honey ts left. i 
ode: fan ; The 
