

ch.ix SCIENCE AND THOUGHTS 53 



and contributed a paper on it to the Natural 

 History Review. One day, arriving at Chisle- 

 hurst Station, he laid down his handbag on a 

 seat for a moment, and when he looked round 

 again the bag was gone ! He complained of 

 his loss to the stationmaster, who was sym- 

 pathetic but not encouraging, saying that he 

 was afraid the bag had been taken by some 

 evil - disposed person and would never be seen 

 again. " But what," he asked, as by an after- 

 thought, " was in the bag ? " 



Lubbock replied : " There was very little — 

 only a paper bag containing a dozen humble 

 bees, and a German scientific treatise." 



The stationmaster smiled and said that he 

 thought, that being the case, it was quite possible 

 that he might recover the bag. And sure enough, 

 within a short space there appeared a very 

 venerable, white - bearded and apostolic old 

 gentleman bringing back the bag, and with 

 profuse apologies explaining that he had taken 

 it up in mistake for his own and only just found 

 out the error. Whether he had been stung by 

 one of the bees the story does not narrate. 



There is rather a curious rider to this story. 

 These bees, in the paper bag, had been obtained 

 by Lubbock by advertisement. He wanted, if 

 possible, to complete his investigations, and as 

 winter came on did not know where to procure 

 the bees. In reply to his advertisement a man 

 wrote offering him a supply of the bees at one 

 and six apiece. The price was high, but in the 

 cause of science Lubbock did not demur. Only, 

 when he had bought all the bees he required, he 



