86 TASTE IN INSECTS. 



or carnivorous, are found to be no less exquisitely gifted. 

 Caterpillars are, according to their kind, either general or par- 

 ticular feeders 5 but even the former confine themselves to 

 particular classes of plants, and among the latter are some 

 so exceedingly nice, that (cormorants as they are) they would 

 sooner die of hunger than eat of leaves other than those which 

 furnish their accustomed food. The caterpillars of those 

 beautiful little meadow Butterflies, the " Blues " and the 

 " Coppers," which feed, in their infancy, on the grasses over 

 which they subsequently sport, are wont, we are told, 1 to 

 appropriate, each for its own peculiar fare, one of the various 

 species which are often intermingled in its native meadow, 

 that, most likely, on which, with instinctive foresight and dis- 

 cernment, the parent had deposited her egg. 



The accuracy of taste conferred upon the Bee has sometimes 

 been called in question, on the ground that this indefatigable 

 gatherer is by no means particular as to the source from whence 

 she collects her honied stores, giving, in that process, more 

 heed, as it would seem, to quantity than quality of material. 

 Yet herein, we may be sure, Mistress Bee knows what she is 

 about, just as well as her insect fellows. She is most likely 

 quite as discriminate as they, in culling for her own appetite 

 and that of her infant charges ; and both, it is probable, would 

 come but poorly off were her collections confined to those 

 particular flowers or districts, which, in our opinion, supply 

 honey of the finest flavour, though not, of necessity, that most 

 grateful to the palate of a Bee. 



Again, both Bees and Butterflies are well known to be any- 

 thing but what we call nice in the choice of water the dirty 

 puddle, or even dunghill pool, being, to all appearances, as 

 acceptable to their palates as the sparkling rivulet or pearly 

 dew-drop ; but then, it is said, that Bees only drink from these 

 fountains of impurity in early spring, and, as it is supposed, 



1 Rerinie, Insect Miscellanies. 



