The Glow- Worm and Other Beetles 



fall singly upon the aggressor, to wreak an 

 individual vengeance. 



Thanks to this unexpected lack of spirit 

 in the Mason-bee, I was able for hours to 

 pursue my investigations at my leisure, seated 

 on a stone in the midst of the murmuring and 

 distracted swarm, without receiving a single 

 sting, though I took no precautions whatever. 

 Country-folk, happening to pass and behold- 

 ing me seated, unperturbed, in the midst of 

 the whirl of Bees, stopped aghast to ask me 

 whether I had bewitched them, whether I 

 charmed them, since I appeared to have 

 nothing to fear from them: 



" Me, moun bel ami, li-z-ave doun escoun- 

 jurado que vous pougnioun pas, caneu de 

 sort!" 



My miscellaneous impedimenta spread 

 over the ground, boxes, glass jars and tubes, 

 tweezers and magnifying-glasses, were cer- 

 tainly regarded by these good people as the 

 implements of my wizardry. 



We will now proceed to examine the cells. 

 Some are still open and contain only a more 

 or less complete store of honey. Others are 

 hermetically sealed with an earthen lid. 

 The contents of these latter vary greatly. 

 Sometimes we find the larva of a Bee which 

 has finished its mess or is on the point of 

 72 



