ORDER VI. VEIN-WINGED INSECTS. 233 



The Hymenoptera are found in almost every part of the 

 terrestrial globe, but they are most numerous and attain 

 the largest size in tropical countries. None of them are 

 nocturnal, but, like the worthy and useful laboring classes 

 of men, they rise with the sun, work unceasingly through 

 the day, and retire to rest as soon as the evening twilight 

 begins to draw its dark and damp vail over the face of 

 nature. They are neither seen nor heard when the cold 

 storm roars and whistles without, when the thick drops of 

 rain or hail come pelting at the windows, nor even at night, 

 though the sparkling moonbeams dance like spectres through 

 the leafless branches ; but when the summer s sun first casts 

 its morning rays over the green leaves of meadows and for 

 ests, and the sleeping birds awake to greet the rising day, 

 then the humming of these industrious insects begins, and 

 their earnest but monotonous music is heard all over the 

 country. They fly from flower to flower, not to injure or 

 destroy them, but to make them productive by distributing 

 their pollen ; or they collect honey and wax for the use of 

 man, or they go about to rid us of innumerable noxious 

 caterpillars and other insects, whch they convert into whole 

 some food for their offspring. 



The value of hymenopterous insects as agents in fertiliz 

 ing plants has many times been demonstrated by experi 

 ment. We recollect an instance of this, which transpired 

 many years ago, so connected with pleasant associations 

 that it made a striking impression. While on a journey 

 from St. Petersburg to the transcaucasian provinces, in the 

 month of February, 1825, we were obliged, on account of 

 the intense cold, to stop in the Government of Twer, on the 

 estate of our friend, Gregor Wasiliewitsch Lihatchef, Col 

 onel in the Imperial Garde a Cheval. There we were 

 shown a very spacious hot-house, full of fine flowering 

 plants ; and also, among others, about fifteen cherry-tr^s, 

 covered with blossoms. We congratulated Lady Lihatchef 



