A QUEER "BUMBLEBEE" 



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not " back out " from my bargain, but, on the contrary, 

 I am prepared to redouble my cash inducements for 

 every normal two-winged bee of any kind that he or 

 any one else will send me. 



What, then, is our mock bumblebee ? It is, in truth, 

 no bee at all, but a rapacious robber fly, which nature 

 for some reason has wonderfully disguised as a bumble- 

 bee. It hovers in the flowery haunts of bees, and, safe 

 in its disguise, makes havoc 

 among the unsuspecting small 

 fry among the insects, or even 

 among many nearly as large as 

 itself, clutching them with its 

 strong legs, and quickly finish- 

 ing them with its strong blood- 



