Translator's Note 



thank them publicly for it in the name of the 

 author, of the French publishers and of the 

 English and American publishers, as well as 

 in my own. 



Of the remaining chapters, one or two have 

 appeared in the English Review or other 

 magazines; but most of them now see the 

 light in English for the first time. 



I have once more, as in the case of The 

 Mason-bees, to thank Miss Frances Rodwell 

 for the help which she has given me in the 

 work of translation and research; and I am 

 also grateful for much kind assistance received 

 from the staff of the Natural History Mu- 

 seum, South Kensington, and from Mr. 

 Geoffrey Meade-Waldo in particular. 



Alexander Teixeira de Mattos. 

 Chelsea, 19 15. 



• •• 

 Vlll 



