PREFACE 



The title, scheme, and some of the contents of 

 this book are borrowed from a little treatise 

 printed on a stencil copying apparatus in August 

 1892. 



The boyish effort brought me several naturalist 

 friends who encouraged me to pursue further the 

 study of these intelligent and useful insects. ..Of 

 these friends, I feel especially indebted to the late 

 Edward Saunders, F.R.S., author of The Hymen- 

 optera Aculeata of the British Islands, and to the 

 late Mrs. Brightwen, the gentle writer of Wild 

 Nattcre Won by Kindness, and other charming 

 studies of pet animals. 



The general outline of the life-history of the 

 humble-bee is, of course, well known, but few 

 observers have taken the trouble to investigate 

 the details. Even Hoffer's extensive monograph, 

 Die Htimmeln Steiermarks, published in 1882 and 

 1883, makes no mention of many remarkable 

 particulars that I have witnessed, and there can 

 be no doubt that further investigations will reveal 

 more. 



V 



