CONTEXTS. XI 



Hogg, &c. How the sound is produced. Grassliopi)ers, &c. 

 used as food. The insect locust not mentioned by Shak- 

 speare. Number of British species. Endurance of hun- 

 ger by the cricket and the cockroach. Structure of the 

 feet of the house-cricket. Origin of the cuckoo-spit. 

 The Tettix of tlie ancients ; its powers of song. Verses 

 addressed to the Cicada by Anacreon . . page 95 



LETTER Vni. 



HYMEXOPTERA. 



' The honey-bees." Bees said to be found in a dead body. Tlie 

 Queen-bee. Slaughter of the drones. Inaccuracy in 

 Shakspeare and Milton. Humming of bees described by 

 several British poets. The humble-bee. Hazlitt's re- 

 mark on " the bag o' the bee." Wax ; how secreted. 

 Not collected by the bees, as stated by Shakspeare. Com - 

 position of seaUng wax. Honey ; mentioned both in a 

 literal and a metaphorical sense. Structm-e of the combs. 

 Sting of the bee. Practice of destrojing bees to obtain 

 the honey; described by Thomson. How it may be 

 avoided. Homeward flight of Ijees. Why they frequent 

 tho sea-coast. Prices paid for honey-comb. Bees of 

 Hymettus. The bee in North America considered as a 

 harbinger of the white man. Conduct of a colony of 

 EngUsh bees when transported to Waterford. Wasps ; 

 their rapacity. They are paper-makers. Nests of the 

 native and of foreign species. IrritabiUty of wasps. They 

 " rob bee-hives." Punishment described by Autolycus. 

 The AxT. Its wings ; when laid aside. Described as 

 " exceeding wise ;" and " provident of future." How the 



