126 MY STUDIO NEIGHBORS 



the latter case, as has been absolutely demon- 

 strated as a general law by the experiments of 

 Darwin, the pollen from a separate flower is al- 

 most invariably prepotent, and leads to the most 

 perfect fruition, and thus to the survival of the 

 fittest the cross-fertilized. And, in any event, 

 the insect is to be credited for the release of the 

 tiny catapults by which the pollen is discharged. 

 But the laurel may be considered as an excep- 

 tional example of the Heath family. Let us look 

 at a more perfect type of the order to which it 

 belongs, the globular blossom of the Andromeda 

 (A. ligustrina). 



Only a short walk from my studio door in the 

 country I recently observed its singular reception 

 to the tiny black-and-white banded bee, which 

 seems to be its especial companion, none the less 

 constant and forgiving in spite of a hospitality 

 which, from the human stand-point, would certain- 

 ly seem rather discouraging. Fancy a morning 

 call upon your particular friend. You knock at 

 the door, and are immediately greeted at the 

 threshold with a quart of sulphur thrown into 

 your face. Yet this is precisely the experience of 

 this patient little insect, which manifests no dispo- 

 sition to retaliate with the concealed weapon 

 which on much less provocation he is quick to 



