174 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



good in America as in England ; but it probably obtains 

 to some extent, at least." 



"Blessings on poor Tabby!" exclaimed the Mistress, 

 stroking the sleek fur of the fine Maltese cat that lay 

 purring in her lap. "Here is another to add to the list 

 of your domestic virtues — we owe to you our beautiful 

 red clover fields !" 



" Yes," said Abby ; "but don't forget to dispense a 

 little gratitude to the poor humble-bee, who is the 

 principal benefactor, after all. I shall tell these strange 

 news to my farmer lads, and try to persuade them 

 against persecuting so useful a friend. But the average 

 schoolboy, I fear, is proof against persuasion when a 

 humble-bee's nest is in question." 



"Perhaps," I suggested, "schoolboys are natural 

 checks upon the undue increase of the insects, just as 

 cats are upon mice. But let us take up again the con- 

 struction of the bee's nest, whose description we had 

 not quite completed. Hugh spoke about meadow bees 

 weathering the season very well without any covering 

 but the straw-heap and the overhanging herbage. 

 There is something more than this. Do you notice in 

 the nest which we excavated that a slight shell or 

 casing at the right side of the cells was formed be- 

 tween the cells and the outside upholstery ? This is 

 made by spreading a coating of wax on the inside of 

 the mat, wliich hardens around the straws and forms 

 about the cells a waterproof envelope. The mattress 

 may he removed from this without breaking it, leaving 

 the cells quite inclosed by it. Tiiis is doubtless a vain- 



