508 THE bek-kbbpkr'S guide; 



The abdomen is long and segmented, a shield-like plate covers 

 the head, and the eyes are far forward, small and globular. 

 The most peculiar organs are the jaws or falces, which are 

 immense, and armed with formidable teeth, spines, hairs, etc. 

 The family is small, little known, and, except in one case, 



Fig. 295. 



California Bee-Killer. — Original. 

 (Jaws and falces, and posterior leg.) 



Datames pallipes. Say., which is said to live in houses in Colo- 

 rado, and to feed on bed-bugs ; the habits have not been 

 described. 



Mr. Enas finds this species in his hives, killing and eating 

 the bees. The remedy must be hand-picking, which will not 

 be very difficult. 



SPIDERS. 



These sometimes spread their nets so as to capture bees. 

 If porticos — which are, I think, worse than a useless expense — 

 are omitted, there will very seldom be any cause for complaint 

 against the spiders, which, on the whole, are friends. As the 

 bee-keeper who would permit spiders to worry his bees would 

 not read books, I will discuss this subject no further. 



THE KING-BIRD— TYRANNUS CAROI,INENSIS. 



This bird, often called the bee-martin, is one of the fly- 

 catchers, a very valuable family of birds, as they are wholly 



