1901 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 15 



the very end of May. They have then to form their nests, cillect bee-bread, and lay their eggs; 

 and some time elapses before the wotking-bees Vjegin to appear. Vegetation on the other hand 

 proceeds with astonishing rapidity — with leaps and bounds ; and the clover fields are in bloom 

 before there are Humble Bees in sufficient numbers to accomplish the important work designed 

 for them ; and so the clover blossoms are, in the main, unfertilized, and afford but little seed. 

 The season is too short to allow the ripening of seed in the rowen or after-math. 



The'Humble Bees are among our best insect friends ; and yet how many a farmer on dis- 

 covering a humble-bees' nest becomes possessed with an insane desire to destroy it. 



The rough coats of bees are admirably suited to sweep the pollen from the anthers td 

 flowers, and to convey it from blossom to blossom. 



The pollen of plants is in itself well worthy of examination. It presents a remarkabk 

 variety both in form and color, as a few descriptions will show : — 



The pollen-grains of the Orange Lily are ellipsoid, and of a deep Indian red. 

 Those of the Sun-flower are globular, and of a golden yellow. 

 Of Geranium the grains are round, warty and of the color of raw sienna. 

 Of Malva, the grains are round, set with spines, and of a pearly white. 

 The Sweet-pea has j^ollen- grains oblong in outline, and of the colour of amber. 

 The Petunia has grains egg-shaped and of pale lilac. 



The pollen-grains of Mignonette are of a long oval, and are flesh-coloured. 

 A wide and interesting field for investigation is presented to the Entomologist and Botanist 

 in the subject of the fertilization of blossoms by insect agency. 



Scientists have of late made considerable advances into a field which, though not altogether 

 unrecognized, had been but little explored — that of Medical, or Hygienic Entomology 

 Physicians have long studied that part of it which comes under the head of Dermatology an<f. 

 have also written much upon internal parasites ; but the subject of the spread of disease by the 

 agency of insects has not until lately, entered largely into their studies. 



Forty years ago a French-Canadian gentleman told me of a person who had died of 

 " Charbon," resulting from the bite of an insect. He explained to me that the insect had ia 

 all probability, made an attack upon a diseased animal before assailing the man. 



In conversation with others, and in the course of years, I have heard of other cases of this 

 Charbon or Anthrax, produced by insect agency. 



That this terrible disease may be readily conveyed to human beings may be learned from 

 the case of Mrs. Mary O'Neill, of Titusville, Pa. She, having washed the soiled liuen of her 

 husband who had handled infected hides in a tannery, was taken with anthrax, and died in s 

 few days in great agony.* 



The panic that ensued on the spread of the information that several persons had died from 

 the assault of an insect popularly called the "Kissing Bug," viz.: - Melanolestes picipe*, 

 Herrich-Schieffer, had at least this good effect — it drew the attention of Entomologists moie 

 closely to the subject of the spread of disease through insect agency. 



Important investigations have been made as to the spread of malaria through the bites of 

 mosquitoes ; and the timely publications of Dr. Howard, of Washington, D.C., have thrown 

 much light upon this subject, and given valuable information upon the various kinds ol 

 mosquitoes found in North America and their habits. His work (published by McClure, 

 Phillips & Co., New York) should find a place in every Naturalist's library. 



The ever-present House-fly, Musca domestica, has, under like investigations, risen in publie 

 recognition from a merely troublesome household pest, into the " bad eminence " of a possibly 

 dangerous foe. It is found that it is capable of conveying the baccilli of disease from the sick 

 chamber to the kitchen and the dining-room. For valuable information on this point I would refer 



•Quebec Morning Chronicle, Sept. 16th, 1901. 



