278 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Mexico, and half a dozen have been found in Northern Mexico, and 

 I had often wondered whether the Httle bees were in Central America 

 if some one who was interested in finding them would only look. 

 And there it was, a new species that extended the distribution of 

 the genus Perdita a thousand and more miles, and I had added a 

 tiny fact to the everlasting why of the universe. 



A few hundred yards below the village there was a number of 

 trees covered with cardinal flowers, and I was especially anxious 

 to collect from them, but we were beguiled into chasing butterflies, 

 and the yellow-flowered trees had other bees than the Perdita 

 tropicalis, so that it was time for the train, and we had seen only the 

 glow of the cardinal tree from a distance. 



Another trip was imperative, and on that day I had an amusing 

 experience. The conductor of the train, a rather interesting Guate- 

 maltecan brought me a Ladies' Home Journal and a little note 

 which said that if I were English he would lend me the magazine; 

 what did I do with my veil (net) and did I, like other strangers, 

 think them savages to be conquered ? 



Judging that he wrote English better than he spoke it, and read 

 better than he understood, I wrote that I was grateful for the 

 magazine (and really, even the Ladies' Home Journal looked good 

 to me; that I had the net to catch bees, because my husband 

 studied bees from all parts of the world. He answered : 

 ''Thanks. Good for him and the world. Hope that he finds 

 the Bee that carries the strength of life — -like they do honey. So 

 that the wise live long to be learned, and the fools long enough to 

 learn." 



There was more correspondence about the duty of one nation 

 to another, the books that would give a Guatemaltecan an idea of 

 the United States, all of which is too lengthy to record here, but 

 just before we reached Gualan he wrote : * 'Guess I tire you, I like 

 to write English to get acquainted with. Excuse me — My wish 

 that the bees won't bite you while searching for flowers. That they 

 sometimes on the mountains sing you a chorus. Remembering you 

 of God, the father of all peoples." 



When we reached Gualan, we went at once to the Cardinal 

 Tree, and found it even more wonderful than we had thought. 

 Imagine a great tree, fifty to seventy-five feet high, with branches 

 literally covered with fragrant cardinal flowers, and the flowers 

 swarming with wasps and bees, and on the branches great gaily 

 colored birds assembled to eat the insects. I too wanted to collect 

 insects, but the lowest branches were just out of reach. Mr. 

 Morris offered to climb up and collect for me. Many Indians 

 gathered in the path just below us, and called out to Mr. Morris 



