2 THE SUBJECT IN GENEKAL 



viduals may be traced ; a great advantage 

 also in selecting the stinging groups for study 

 is that they are creatures of the spring and sum- 

 mer, and of the sunshine, so that the weather 

 which tempts them out to their duties is of 

 the kind most agreeable to those who wish 

 to investigate their habits. 



The habits of the hive bee have not been 

 touched on, as so many excellent treatises have 

 been written on them that any observations 

 here would be superfluous. 



Although these groups are distinguished by 

 their stinging habits, it is only the female 

 that possesses a sting the male is a most harm- 

 less creature and quite incapable of injuring 

 any one. A male wasp or even a male hornet 

 may be handled with absolute impunity, only 

 it is wise to be certain as to the sex of the indi- 

 vidual before presuming to play with it too 

 much ! A word here may perhaps be said about 

 stinging. People often talk about a gnat sting- 

 ing or a stinging fly ; it may be difficult to 

 define exactly what "to sting" means, but the 

 writer has always considered that a sting is 

 inflicted by the tail end of the creature or a 



