SOME APRIL INSECTS. 20* 



its great yellow bell, these black humble-bees came, 

 almost always followed by one lover, sometimes, as on 

 the first occasion, by two. A bright row of polyanthus 

 and oxlips seemed to be the haunt of the male bees. 

 There they waited, some on the leaves and some on the 

 dry clods heated by the sun, in ambush till a dark lady 

 should come. The yellow tulip was a perfect weather- 

 meter ; if there was the least bit of harshness in the air, 

 the least relic of the east wind, it remained folded. 

 Sunshine alone was not sufficient to tempt it, but the 

 instant there was any softness in the atmosphere open 

 came the bell, and as if by a magic key all the bees and 

 humble-bees of the place were unlocked, and forth they 

 came with joyous note — not to visit the tulip, which is 

 said to be a fatal cup of poison to them. 



Any one delicate would do well to have a few such 

 flowers in spring under observation, and to go out of 

 doors or stop in according to their indications. I think 

 there were four species of wild bee at these early flowers, 

 including the great bombus and the small prosopis with 

 orange-yellow head. It is difficult to scientifically 

 identify small insects hastily flitting without capturing 

 them, which I object to doing, for I dislike to interfere 

 with their harmless liberty. They have all been named 

 and classified, and I consider it a great cruelty to destroy 

 them again without special purpose. The pleasure is to 

 sec them alive and busy with their works, and not to 

 keep them in a cabinet. These wild bees, particularly 

 the smaller ones, greatly resented my watching them, 

 just the same as birds do. If I walked by they took no 

 heed ; if I stopped or stooped to get a better view they 

 were off instantly. Without doubt they see you, and 

 have some idea of the meaning of your various motions. 

 The wild bees are a constant source of interest, much 



