14 BRITISH BEES. 



they go. To facilitate this fecundation of plants, which 

 is Nature's prime object, bees are usually more or less 

 hairy ; so that if even they limit themselves to imbibing 

 nectar, they involuntarily fulfil the greater design by 

 conveying the pollen from flower to flower. To many 

 insects, especially flies, some flowers are a fatal attrac- 

 tion, for their viscous secretions often make these insects 

 prisoners, and thus destroy them. To the bees this 

 rarely or never happens, either by reason of their supe- 

 rior strength, or possibly from the instinct which repels 

 them from visiting flowers which exude so clammy a sub- 

 stance. It is probably only to the end of promoting 

 fertilization by the attraction of insects that the struc- 

 ture of those flowers which secrete nectar is exclusively 

 conducive, and which fully and satisfactorily explains 

 the final cause of this organization. 



To detect these things, it is requisite to observe 

 nature out of doors, an occupation which has its own 

 rich reward in the health and cheerfulness its promotes, 

 and there to watch patiently and attentively. It is only 

 by unremitting perseverance, diligence, and assiduity 

 that we can hope to explore the interesting habits and 

 peculiar industries of these, although small, yet very 

 attractive insects. 



Amongst the early blossoming flowers most in request 

 with the bees, and which therefore seem to be great 

 favourites, we find the chickweed (Alsine media), the 

 primrose, and the catkins of the sallow ; and these in 

 succession are followed by all the flowers of the spring, 

 summer, and autumn. Their greatest favourites would 

 appear to be the Amentacece, or catkin-bearing shrubs and 

 trees, the willow, hazel, osier, etc., from the male flowers 

 of which they obtain the pollen, and from the female 



