The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



which I see on yonder bank busied with warehous- 

 ing her Cleonus. As I saw her long ago, so I see 

 her to-day . . . Watching her at work, a younger 

 blood flows in my veins ; I scent, as it were, the 

 fragrance of some renewal of life. But time passes; 

 let us pass on. 



Yet another greeting here. I hear rustling over- 

 head, above that ledge, a community of Sphex- 

 wasps, stabbing their Crickets! Let us give them 

 a friendly glance, but no more. My acquaintances 

 here are too numerous: I have not time to resume 

 all my old relations. 



Without stopping, a wave of the hat to the Eu- 

 menes . . . the Philanthus . . . the Tachytes . . . 



At last we are there! x 



This last exclamation, a cry from the heart, 

 which reveals the object of this latest visit, 

 is addressed to the murmuring city of the 

 Anthophorae, in which he had formerly made 

 such valuable discoveries, and in which there 

 was still something left to discover: so true 

 is it that even in those regions which have 

 been most fully explored the scientist worthy 

 of the name never flatters himself that he has 

 reached the final limits of knowledge. 



1 Souvenirs, II., pp. 262-303, III., 194-195. The Gloiv- 

 Worm, chap, ii., "The Sitaris;" The Life of the Fly, 

 chap, iv., "Larval Dimorphism." 



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