232 



INSECTS. 



like such occupations, and thus " doing their duty by 

 themselves and their children," afford a happy illustration 

 of a favourite proverb " Charity begins at home." 



A likeness between the habits of these insects and 

 those of the Cuckoo cannot fail to occur to every 

 observer, and indeed to this they owe the name of 

 Cuckoo Bees.* A closer examination by no means dimi- 

 nishes this resemblance ; both are distinguished in their 

 tribes by anatomical peculiarities in the mouth and feet. 

 The bill of such of the Cuckoo family as are known to 

 be parasitic is formed differently from that of species even 

 in the same family which are nest-builders ; and this, 

 accompanying a certain form of foot in the parasitic 

 birds, points to a relation between form and habit which 

 at least exonerates the bird from the charge of voluntary 

 idleness. In the same manner we find the jaw of the 

 little Nomada very different from that of the burrowing 



Fig. 61. 



a. Jaw of JBombus, Nest-digging Bee. 



b. Do. Nomada, Parasitic Bee. 



or cell-making Bees, see fig. b, jaw of Nomada ; and 

 fig. a, jaw, or rather spade of the the Humble Bee, not 



* Or Cuculince, a name applied to the whole sub-family, which includes 

 five genera. 



