Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/158

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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 stopping crevices, and providing a sufficient external covering, a well-peopled and well-provided hive runs no hazard from even the severest winter. Consistently 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 are in this state, and eat little, while cold weather lasts; but

    ly, not giving any rest to de enimi; part encountring wit dem dat ar widout, part wit dem dat have broken in, wome in a wile dey draw out by de heels, soom ded, and soom alive. Likewise, witout, you may see soom slain outrigt wit de trust of de speer; soom so dedly woonded, dat dey are not able to go tree foot from de place; and soom more lightly strooken, presently to lose de use of deir wings, and for a wile to leap up and down, forward and backward, like madd tings; so lote ar dese cooragious warriers to yeeld on eider side until dere bee no remedie. If de true men cannot kil de teeves, yet wil dey hold dem by de legs or by de wings, in hope to have help, dowg (though) dey bee drawn after. Moreover, de young soldiers, wic have scarce been abroad before, you sal see de elder sort go round about dem, smooding (smoothing) and trimming dem in every place, as if dey did address and hearten dem to figt. De battel being ended, by repuls of de enimi, dose corpses wic de wasps have left—for, like vulturs, de wasps during de battel prey upon de ded carkases—dey honestly buri as far from de hives as dey can bere dem. And den dey draw togeder at de citti-gates, and dere dey buz one to anoder, as if in deir language dey did talk of de figt, and commend one and oder for deir fortitude."