164 SHARP EYES 



when my attention was claimed by a curious visitor, 

 which had suddenly perched upon a head of tear-thumb 

 blossoms close at my elbow, ogling me most mischiev- 

 ously. 



I had seen portraits of this black-sheep in the rogues' 

 gallery of insects, but was never brought into such close 

 quarters with the original before. I soon identified 

 him, and knowing that in my superior fighting weight I 

 would be perfectly safe in tackling him, I prepared to 

 catch him with a sweep of my hand, when away he 

 went with a " Ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a !" which seemed drawn 

 out in a long nasal perspective to the limit of my hear- 

 ing, and the inspiration of my pastoral visions was sud- 

 denly revealed. 



On several occasions since I have been momentarily 

 deceived by the twanging buzz of the big fly. It is im- 

 possible to suggest in type the peculiar quality of the 

 sound, but a glance at my portrait of him will serve to 

 identify the insect, and he may be heard tuning up any 

 day now in our meadows, as indeed he might have been 

 for several weeks past, and may be for several to come. 

 He is closely related to the murderous mock- bumblebee 

 described in a later page. 



