446 PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE XI 
there are to prey upon the larvee of the bees—the 
cats are therefore the INDIRECT HELPERS of the 
bees Coming back a step farther we may say 
that the old maids are also indirect friends of the 
humble bees, and indirect enemies of the field 
mice, as they keep the cats which eat up the 
latter! This is an illustration somewhat beneath 
the dignity of the subject, perhaps, but it occurs 
to me in passing, and with it I will conclude this 
lecture. 
1 The humble bees, on the other hand, are direct helpers of 
some plants, such as the heartsease and red clover, whch are 
fertilised by the visits of the bees ; and they are indirect helpers 
of the numerous insects which are more or less completely sup- 
ported by the heartsease and red clover. 
