ut I was convinced he had overlooked the bees started with, for
these reasons: This apiary was two miles from where the bees
watered; the same stream flowed near by the apiary--there were many
springs near and water in abundance all along the course. Then the
clearing first mentioned had lots of sumac growing in it; many bees
from the apiary were working on this and other flowers, and by
burning, these bees were enticed to the bait in such numbers that
the few that may have been on bait from the tree were not noticed
by an inexperienced hunter. After telling him of my suspicions, he
was the more anxious that I should go along with him again and see
for myself that there was no wild bee on the course.

I was equally anxious to prove to him that there was. So the
following morning found us in the old field where he had first
placed the bait. Taking my bottle containing bait. I sprinkled some
on a bunch of bushes left there the day previous. This was all that
was required and the bees that had been having a feast at this
location the day before soon found it out and eagerly settled down
for another feast. It seemed that the whole apiary had swarmed out
and come to the bait--hundreds were soon flying towards this
apiary. Here my friend ventured to ask if I was not convinced that
they went to the apiary. I had been watching very close and knew
very well that the majority of the bees did go there, but I had
also seen a few bees fly a short distance on the course and bear
off to the left. I said nothing about this at the time, thinking it
best to be positive before giving a final opinion. There was a deep
hollow running up from the opposite side of the clearing and
getting in a more favorable position I could see many bees bear off
from the main course and go up to the hollow. Now I was ready to
tell him he had been outwitted by the bees.

Calling him to me, I showed him the bees flying up the hollow. We
then moved the bait about one hundred yards farther up and found
that they still went on up. We left the bait and proceeded to look
at the timber. Finally one hundred yards above this last place
there was a large white pine standing on the left side of the
hollow and not over ten feet from the ground they were pouring in,
in a steady stream, pure golden Italians. Was he convinced this was
the bee we had started with from the watering place? No, not at
all. It was too far from the course. I told him we would cut it and
take