FLIGHT AGAINST WIND. 340 



Besides the above, which are seldom abroad except at 

 evening or at early morn, there are to be seen throughout the 

 summer and the livelong summer's day, hovering over flower- 

 borders or flowery hedges, a scattered company of two-winged 

 flies, which, as somewhat resembling, may be taken on a cur- 

 sory view for four-winged bees. These are the Syrphi, 

 whose prowess, while in their grub estate, as clearers of aphis- 

 covered leaves those especially of the rose-tree we have 

 celebrated in another place. 1 Contributing thus, through the 

 carnivorous appetite of their growing youth, to the health and 

 preservation of the plant, these aphidivorous flies, in their 

 active and elegant maturity, heighten the beauty of the flower 

 by adding to the number of its prettiest frequenters, as they 

 now hover over the enamelled beds in suspension, seeming 

 motionless, but maintained, in reality, by fast vibration of their 

 pinions then dart with rapidity to some other wing-poised station. 



Few, perhaps, to look at the great burly body of a humble- 

 bee when he is " tippling freely in a flower," would suspect him 

 of out-cutting, when on wing, all the other high-fliers, and 

 swift-fliers, and far-fliers of his order (Hymenoptera), in- 

 cluding, as it does, all other bees, wasps, ichneumons, and saw- 

 flies. Yet such is his reputation in the field (of air), or in the 

 sporting calendar of the naturalist ; and while it outstrips its 

 kind, the humble-bee (by no means humble in this particular) 

 far exceeds, says Kirby, in proportion to its size, the flight 

 of any bird. 



It is said by a German naturalist, 2 in speaking of the emi- 

 grations of the feathered race, that birds require a wind which 

 blows against them, such a contrary current helping to raise, 

 and assist their flight. We are not aware, indeed, of any 

 insect known to require this seemingly hindering help; but, 

 however little one might think it, the comparatively fragile 

 wings even of insects are often arrayed in battle against an 

 opposing current. 



1 See article on Aphides, and Vignette. 3 M. Brehm. 



