90 THE STUDY OF ANIMAL LIFE 



one sees a Butterfly alight, and wishes to capture 

 it. At the first attempt it will probably permit 

 one to throw a hat over it, but suppose (as often 

 happens) it eludes the grasp of the hand, rises in 

 the air, but at a short distance it again alights. In 

 one's second attempt to capture it, it will not 

 permit such an easy approach, and most likely 

 takes flight before its pursuer is near enough to 

 use the hat. If watched it may be seen to again 

 alight, when a third attempt is made to reach it, 

 but this time when at a considerable distance it 

 may be seen rising high in the air and quitting 

 the neighbourhood altogether. Is this instinct or 

 reason? Man is ever jealous of the faculty of 

 reasoning, and invariably attributes any and 

 every action of the inferior world to instinct. 



The well-known family of Bees comprises — 

 the Hive Bee, Humble Bee, Clothier Bee, Carpenter 

 Bee, Mason Bee, Upholsterer Bee, and many 

 others. They have four wings, the upper larger 

 than the under. The most powerful fliers of this 

 family are the Bumble, or Humble, Bees. The 

 rapidity of their flight is so great that, could it be 

 calculated, it would be found, if the size of the 

 creature be considered, to far exceed that of any 

 bird, as has been proved by the observations of a 

 traveller in a railway carriage, proceeding at a 

 rate of at least twenty miles an hour, which was 

 accompanied, though the wind was against it, 



