250 HUNTING THE HONEY-BEE 



Carefully looking over the flowers as he goes 

 slowly along, among the bumble-bees and wasps 

 that are gathering from them then* slender stores 

 of present food his quick eye discovers a honey- 

 bee alight on the upright tassel of a thistle, or 

 sucking a medicated sweet from the bitter flower 

 of the boneset, or stealing the fairy's draught from 

 the little tankard of the wild balsam, or working a 

 placer of goldenrod, or exploring a constellation 

 of asters; and stealthily slipping the open box 

 under her, he claps the cover down, and has her a 

 fast prisoner. Now he darkens her cell by covering 

 the glass with his hand till she has buzzed away 

 her wrath and astonishment and settles on the bit 

 of comb which, before catching her, the hunter 

 had placed on the slide. Seeing through the little 

 skylight that she is making the best of the situa- 

 tion and is contentedly filling herself with the 

 plentiful fare provided, he sets the box on a 

 stump, boulder, or fence (if either be at hand if 

 not, he drives a triple-forked stake, or piles a few 

 "chunks" for the purpose), and, opening the lid, 

 sits or stands at a little distance, awaiting the out- 

 coming of the bee. 



This takes place in five minutes or so, when, 

 having freighted herself, she takes whig and rises a 

 few feet, circles rapidly till she has her bearings, 

 and then sails swiftly homeward. What compass 

 does she carry in her little head to guide her so 



